


Patience Yields Focus, Focus Yields Pleasure

by Perversions



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Bottom Shiro, Creampie, Dubious Consent, Extremely Dubious Consent, Hypnotism, M/M, Mind Control, More tags to be added, Porn With Plot, Pre-Kerberos Mission, Puppy Play, SHEITH - Freeform, Shiverson, Slow Burn, Threesome, Unsafe Sex, Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-08
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-05-30 06:14:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 30,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15090761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Perversions/pseuds/Perversions
Summary: Shiro was the Garrison's number one pilot, but issues hinder him from focusing on missions. With some help, he will learn how to relax, how to focus, and how to trust his commanders.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> my requester didn't want to be named, but they still deserved to be thanked. thank you so much for trusting me with this idea! i was so nervous about it, but i'm so glad i was able to deliver something that you enjoyed. you've been so patient with me since we started this BACK IN JANUARY and you're just so amazing. i hope to work with you again in the future, and thank you so much for being awesome. ♥
> 
> my editor for this piece was [anonusr](http://anonusr.tumblr.com/)! he worked so hard with me, reading every update, helping me find references, and furthering the idea into what it was. without his help, i wouldn't have been able to get as far as i have. i probably would have also crawled under my blankets and refused to come out. thank you so much for your help! ♥

_“Shiro! What are you doing?!”_

_“I’m going after that ship.”_

_“That’s not part of the plan, Shirogane! We’re only supposed to rescue the captives and get out of here!”_

_“Then they shouldn’t have fired at me.”_

_“That’s their job! They’re supposed to stop you from succeeding the mission. Turn around now!”_

Takashi Shirogane was many things within Galaxy Garrison.

As a senior cadet, he was someone that the younger cadets would look up to. Since they were fresh off the recruitment list, they needed someone they could trust and go to for advice. Since Shiro scored top marks in all the simulation tests, it was natural for them to flock to him. A day didn’t pass where Shiro wasn’t surrounded by a few cadets during lunch time or his free period.

He was always happy to give them what advice he could give. If they needed help, Shiro wanted to be the one they came to. It helped him in the end for when he wanted to be considered for a position of Lieutenant Commander. The position’s requirements were that he needed to train younger students. Because of this, they needed someone level-headed—someone who the students wouldn’t be able to goad into a fight or disrespect.

And that was the problem—there was one small issue that Shiro couldn’t overcome.

No one would have ever expected Takashi Shirogane to have an angry streak. There was a fire inside him that he couldn’t calm whenever he was in a battle simulation. Whether his goal was to simply transport cargo or allies to the safe zone, if an enemy ship strayed too close, Shiro would abandon his mission to fire back until they were destroyed. Often, he would beat the current simulation record by mere seconds. If he strayed any longer, then he would have gotten an average time, something that he couldn’t allow himself to have.

 _“It doesn’t look good, Shiro,”_ Commander Holt had told him one day after a simulation. _“If you continue down this path… we might have to pull your promotion. The Garrison can’t have a lieutenant commander who can’t control his emotions.”_

The thought alone of not having his promotion chilled Shiro to the bone. He promised Commander Holt—and every commander who talked to him about it—that he would do better. If they wanted a cadet who could be calm under pressure, Shiro vowed to be that cadet.

It brought on more stress for Shiro, though. He moved through the Garrison as if he was walking on eggshells. Most did so around other people. However, Shiro was doing it around his own anger, trying to keep it in check. He had never expected it to be so hard, but he promised himself and his fellow commanders that he would try.

And then he snapped.

It happened at the end of a simulation. Iverson shouted at them to roll out of the pod and line up. Shiro knew that it was to tell them all what did wrong. He would make an example of their team about everything that had gone wrong. But Shiro beat him to the punch when he stormed out of the pod, tossing his helmet to the ground.

 _“What the_ hell _was that, Collins!? You screwed us over in that simulation and almost got us all killed!”_

_“Me? What about you, mister big shot? You dragged us through that mine field and we nearly got blown to bits!”_

_“If our radars were fine, we wouldn’t have_ needed _to worry!”_

They went back and forth, blaming each other for what had gone wrong. It escalated when Shiro threw the first punch, hitting Collins square in his eye. Blows were exchanged back and forth until they were on the ground, cheers from other cadets telling them to keep going. The fight only stopped when Iverson and another commander pulled the two cadets apart.

Collins had a terrible shiner on his face. Shiro’s face was bloody from where he had been punched in the nose, but he wore a grin. It was clear which of the two had come out on top.

Two hours later in Iverson’s office, Shiro was starting to regret his decision.

It was the same speech he had heard before. Shiro lost count on all the times he had heard it already. It was well past ten, but less than fifty. However, whenever Iverson spoke, Shiro was always at attention, hanging on to every word he had to say.

When Iverson told him that the board was reconsidering giving him the position, citing that he may lack appropriate leadership skill to advance in the Garrison, it cemented the fact further in Shiro’s mind. The one thing that he worked so hard for was slowly slipping from his fingers. He pleaded with his leading commander, asking him if there was anything he could do to fix things. He promised that he would do anything that Iverson requested of him.

However, therapy wasn’t something that Shiro thought he would ever find himself in.

Commander Montgomery was the Garrison’s therapist. She would help cadets when they found themselves cracking beneath the pressure of their exams, either giving them an ear to talk to or giving them ways to relax. While she handled stress related situations, she didn’t enjoy prescribing medication to the students and would typically avoid doing so.

From the first session, Shiro wasn’t pleased with being there. In fact, he hated it—and that wasn’t a word that he used often. His grandmother taught him to never use such a word. She told him that it was a word he should never use because hatred was ugly. Since then, Shiro never did, but he couldn’t help it when it came to his therapy sessions. He _hated_ being there and he wanted to be elsewhere.

He had nothing against Commander Montgomery herself, but none of her suggestions helped. Some were easy to follow, and some were hard, yet their results were always the same. Shiro would still break away from his squad or fight another senior cadet or blast away at an enemy, things that he was meant to avoid.

Seeing Commander Iverson and his disappointed scowl always made his stomach twist itself into something awful. It was like disappointing his grandmother, which was something that he tried to avoid.

Shiro was at the end of his rope now. He hated attending therapy, he hated all the failed attempts to control his anger, and he hated that he couldn’t get them to work for him. Every time he failed, he could see his recommendations slipping through his fingers like sand. It wouldn’t be long before he had no one, and he would be a regular lieutenant who was only assigned missions that no one else wanted.

That was something that Shiro couldn’t allow.

He was now in his tenth session with Commander Montgomery.

Shiro sat in her uncomfortable chairs and stared down at the carpet beneath his boots. It was a horrid orange color with yellow swirling patterns. The fact that it matched his cadet uniform only made him despise it more. In other sessions, Shiro would have done something to show his displeasure with being here. Sometimes it would be a fidget of his legs or fingers, or perhaps he would be slumped over in his seat, listening to the commander drawl on about ideas.

Commander Iverson was in the room for this session, though—after his failed attempts, he wanted to confirm that Shiro was truly trying in his sessions with Montgomery. Shiro willed himself to remain on his best behavior so that he didn’t displease him any more than he already had. Iverson regarded him with a cruel look, his eyes set in a narrowed stare. If Shiro didn’t know any better, he would have thought he already failed Commander Montgomery’s next suggestion.

“Now, Shiro, I know it seems like we exhausted a lot of our options, but fear not.” Montgomery smiled at him—she was always smiling. “I believe we may have found a way for things to go smoothly for you. Tell me, what do you know about hypnotism?”

“Hypnotism?” Shiro questioned, his eyebrow raised. Montgomery nodded, and he twisted his mouth into a frown.

He was familiar with it, but only because of his little brother. Ryou was always interested in magical acts. He would watch Youtube video after video to learn all he could. When a famous magician was in town, Shiro was the unfortunate one to take his brother to it under his grandmother’s command. It bored him to be there, even more so when the magician would hypnotize someone in the audience.

Ryou was always fascinated by it. Shiro would rather gag on fish bones than watch it.

“Don’t magicians use it as a party trick? You know, something to tantalize the crowd and keep them interested?” Shiro commented.

Montgomery laughed. “Hypnotism is more than that, Shiro. It can be used in other ways than making someone cluck like a rooster with a simple word choice. Hypnotism has been used to help patients dive deeper into their conscious mind. Perhaps they had hidden a memory there that could explain their behaviors.”

At Shiro’s scowling look, she laughed again, ignoring how Iverson cleared his throat.

“I’m not saying that you have some hidden memory, Shiro,” Montgomery continued. “You have siblings, so you’re competitive by nature. Hypnotism has also been used to help overcome a bad habit, such as smoking. In some cases, it has been known to help treat pain.” She crossed her legs and adjusted herself in her seat. “What I’m suggesting is that we try hypnosis to push you past this behavior issue. If it works, then we have our answer on what works best for you, and we can determine how best to treat your issues”

Shiro never considered hypnosis before. If his brother was here, he would be mocked and laughed at. He could hear Ryou’s voice now and he did his best to block it from his mind. This wasn’t the time or the place to be thinking about his family.

Shiro’s leg bounced up and down as he mulled over the thought. “What’s hypnosis like?”

“It’s similar to meditation. You’ll be put in a trance-like state, but you’ll feel relaxed. It’s not harmful and there’s nothing bad that could go wrong—if that’s what you’re worried about, Shiro.”

He chewed on his lip and directed his eyes to the carpet. “Have you done it before…?”

“A few times on other students, mostly the younger cadets. It has worked for them,” Montgomery answered.

Shiro turned his attention to Commander Iverson. He loomed behind Montgomery, his expression never changing. Shiro knew that look all too well. He didn’t have a choice in the matter. It was either give it a try or risk losing his spot as a lieutenant commander.

With a sigh, Shiro tossed aside his last reserves on his dignity. He didn’t have anything else to lose. “How do we start?”

Commander Montgomery stood up. She strode over to a record player in the corner of the room. Piano music filled the office when the needle touched the vinyl. Shiro raised an eyebrow at this, but he didn’t say anything about it. Listening to it felt nice.

“Relax and listen to the music, Shiro.”

That was easy enough.

Shiro got comfortable and closed his eyes. He let the music wash over him, taking deep breaths as he listened. Despite popular belief, he never found piano music to be calming since it never worked for him. Yet with how this music was starting to make him feel, it might be time to rethink that. With every passing moment, Shiro found himself nearly melting into the seat beneath him. It was so uncomfortable before, but now it felt like a cloud.

“Do you like this music, Shiro? Does it relax you?”

“Yes.”

“That’s good. I’m glad you’re finding it enjoyable and relaxing. Listen to how the music swells and decreases. Let your breathing follow the pattern. As the music reaches its crescendo, you’ll take a deep breath in. As it comes to its diminuendo, let the breath out. Keep breathing, Shiro.”

He followed her orders, listening to the music and breathing along with it. Shiro enjoyed this peace. With every breath, he felt his body sinking further and further into a dark place. It didn’t scare him. It was similar to walking down a dark yet familiar hallway. _That’s_ what it felt like and Shiro saw no reason to fear it.

“Keep focusing on your breathing, Shiro. You’re always so stressed out in the Garrison. You deserve a chance to relax. It must be hard work going through all those simulation tests and written exams. Not only that, but you’re a guiding light to a lot of younger cadets, too. You have your hands full, don’t you?”

Shiro opened his mouth to speak, but Montgomery quieted him.

“Keep breathing, Shiro, and listen to the music. You must have had a busy day today. All those controls that you had to reach out and take care of. All the things you do to make sure that your team stays alive on your missions. They depend on _you_ , Shiro, and you keep them alive and on their toes.

“How many times have you stretched your arm out to flip a switch or press a button? Perhaps we can get you to start doing that. Perhaps as you fall deeper and deeper into your trance, your hand will start to rise up as if you’re going to press such controls. The more you listen to the music, the further you fall into that sleepy trance, your arm stretching out and out as if you were ready to touch one of those vital controls.”

Shiro wasn’t aware that his arm was stretched out before him, reaching for something that wasn’t there.

“It feels nice to be in that state, doesn’t it, Shiro? It feels nice to be in this kind of state and you enjoy it. It relaxes you and it would be easy for you to return to this trance. It feels nice and you like being like this, so calm and at ease, no longer worrying about things around you. All someone would need to do is play this song and you’ll start to relax. When the base of your skull is squeezed, you’ll find yourself in a deep sleep.”

Montgomery’s voice and the music pulled him deeper and deeper into a trance until every bit of his body was melting into the seat beneath him. It felt nice and Shiro didn’t want it to end.

“When I stop the music, you’ll wake up well rested, but you’ll have no memory of this happening. What I’m telling you right now will blur away until it doesn’t exist at all. As far as you know, it never happened, but you’re okay with that. It’s not a missing gap in your memory if it never happened. Do you understand, Shiro?”

Shiro nodded his head slowly. It was more like a jerk of his head as if he was trying hard not to fall asleep in class.

“You’ll come out of your trance in five, four, three, two, one.”

The music stopped and Shiro’s head jerked up. His entire body straightened, and he returned to his stiff posture. He looked around the room. Montgomery looked pleased and Iverson looked amazed. Shiro opened his mouth to say something, but he snapped it shut. Whatever question he was about to ask disappeared as quickly as a bubble popping.

“How do you feel, Shiro?”

“I feel pretty good,” Shiro answered. He ran his fingers through his hair. “I didn’t even realize the song had ended…”

“You must have really enjoyed it, then. Would you like to hear it again?” Montgomery asked. Her hand was already poised over the record player, ready to play the song once more.

Shiro nodded his head and Montgomery set the music to play again from the beginning. He felt himself relaxing once more, slumping against the chair. This was such nice music to relax to. He should ask Commander Montgomery to tell him the name so that he could download it onto his computer later. He could fall asleep to it when he was having a difficult time sleeping.

Montgomery walked up behind him and placed her hand on the back of Shiro’s chair. He hadn’t realized she walked closer to him or that her fingers were touching his head, squeezing at the base of his skull.

Shiro’s head fell forward, falling slowly into a trance at Montgomery’s trigger. Her voice was soothing, informing his subconscious of how nice it felt to be in a trance and how easy it would be for him to fall back into it. She repeated this, pulling him out of the trance and then putting him back under it.

Montgomery stopped after some time, keeping him under his trance.

“When you hear this song, when the base of your skull is squeezed, you will feel the urge to follow to your commander’s exact orders. When you follow your commander’s exact orders, you will feel very good doing them.”

“Exact orders,” Shiro muttered.

“That’s right. When you hear this song, when the base of your skull is squeezed, you will feel the urge to follow to you commander’s _exact_ orders for anything they want you to do. When you follow your commander’s exact orders, you will feel very good doing them. Do you understand?”

“I do…”

“Good. Fix your posture, Shiro. Sit up straight with your shoulders back and open your eyes.”

Shiro followed her orders, sitting up straight and opening his eyes. A warm feeling blossomed from the pit of his stomach, spreading through his body. It was pleasant, and he enjoyed it. Just a small taste and Shiro wanted to feel more of it. He wanted Montgomery to order him around again.

“How did that feel, Shiro?” Montgomery asked.

“Good. It felt… really good.”

Iverson looked on with amazement. Montgomery was smiling her usual smile. “I’m glad to hear that. Do you want to feel it again?”

Shiro eagerly nodded his head. “Yes. I do.”

“Good. In two days, you’ll do one out of three tests to be a lieutenant commander. It’ll be a simulation test, one to make sure that you can handle the kind of missions you would be given. During that mission, you will _not_ go after any enemy ship that attacks you. Your goal will be to get to the drop off point and nothing more. Do you understand, Shiro?”

He licked his lips. “Yes.”

“Repeat what I said,” Montgomery said.

Taking a deep breath, Shiro spoke, “My only goal is to get to the drop off point. I won’t go after any enemy ship that attacks me. Drop off point and nothing more.” That pleasant and warm feeling spread through him again and Shiro sighed.

It felt so good. It would feel better when he went through the test and followed Montgomery’s order.

“Very good, Shiro,” Montgomery said. “I’m glad that you understand.” She walked over to the record player slowly. “When I stop the music, you will come out of your trance feeling refreshed and well rested. When you come out of your trance, you won’t remember this happening. The events will blur until they disappear completely from your memory, but you’ll be okay with that. It’ll stop in five, four, three, two, one.”

Shiro blinked and looked around the room. Iverson was still staring at him like he had done something amazing. He rubbed at the back of his neck and slumped in his seat. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed. It felt like he had fallen asleep listening to the music that Montgomery had played.

“I’m sorry about falling asleep…” Shiro mumbled, looking down at his lap.

“It’s fine, Shiro,” Montgomery assured. “You had a long and stressful day after all, and the music is very relaxing. Why don’t you head back to your dorm and get some rest?”

Shiro looked at her, confused. He was here for a reason and that was for Montgomery to put him under hypnosis. If she didn’t, he had his doubts that he would pass the simulation test coming up. “What about the hypnotism?”

“It’s already been done,” Montgomery assured. She didn’t laugh when Shiro looked even more bewildered. “I know it’s a little strange, Shiro, but you’re going to be fine. During your simulation test, you’ll find that things will be fine.”

Slowly, he turned his attention to Iverson. Shiro watched him as he nodded his head slowly. It was a clear signal for him to go along with what she said and to not question it. That was hard when his mind buzzed with questions that he wanted answers to. However, Shiro still stood up, saluted to his commanders, and made his way to his bunk.

He didn’t question the warm feeling that spread through his body when he did so.

* * *

“There are enemy ships flanking us, Shiro.”

Shiro dodged the enemy fire well enough, barrel rolling his ship out of the way and beneath an overhang.

“500 meters to the drop off point.”

His heart raced as he flew the ship towards the point - he just needed to get to it, and press the button to release the cargo. The controls shook in his hands, but he wasn’t sure if it was his own hands that were shaking. Everything was so close that he could taste it. Shiro could see the marker on the screen and he licked his lips.

It got closer…

and closer…

and closer…

“Mission completed!”

Shiro gasped and released the controls as the simulation ended. He slumped in his seat and stared at the blank screen. The crew that he was with shouted and patted at his arms and chest. They were proud of him, hooting and hollering about his success. Shiro only got up from his seat when they convinced him to leave the simulation pod.

The moment he stepped out, there was a crowd of commanders waiting for him. The roar of applause was deafening. He had never seen so many hands clapping for him. At the front of the pack was Iverson and Montgomery. Seeing their proud smiles had a warmth spreading throughout Shiro’s body. His toes curled, and he looked away from them, feeling shy suddenly.

He had no idea where it had come from, but it was a pleasant feeling and he liked it.

 _“You responded well to the hypnotism and I’m glad to see that you have,”_ Montgomery said. She had brought Shiro and Iverson to her office shortly after his successful sim-mission. _“I’m sure you’re curious about why you don’t remember it happening. Over the years I’ve been here, I learned that hypnosis is more effective when students aren’t aware of the exact suggestions, but I learned to not question a good thing—especially when it means that our cadets can step forward and be the best they can be.”_

 _“It worked, though,”_ Shiro told her. Excitement ran through him like a torrent, drowning in the feeling after seeing his commanders smiling and applauding at him.

Montgomery gave him a smile. _“Would you like to continue and do this again?”_

Shiro didn’t need to look at Iverson to give her his answer. _“Yes. Yes, please.”_

Everything changed from that day onward.

That wasn’t the last time he was hypnotized. Shiro and Montgomery agreed to continue the hypnosis sessions. He was performing better and was now less prone to acting on anger. There was no doubt left in anyone's mind that Shiro wouldn't be prepared for his promotion tests.

Thanks to Montgomery and her hard work, Shiro achieved his lieutenant commander status. He strutted around the Garrison like a peacock in his new green blazer. It was everything that he had ever wanted since joining the military group. Even his family back home was proud of what he had accomplished.

Three years later and Shiro still relied on hypnotism to calm himself. When he covered for another instructor, it only took one smart-mouthed cadet to utter a remark and he could feel his old anger returning again. During his next session with Montgomery, Shiro brought up his worries about how he'd continue to manage. With his demanding schedule, sessions with her had to be cut back, and they both knew she wouldn't always be around to help him. As his schedule got busier, Shiro wouldn’t have the time to see the commander and get her help.

Self-hypnosis wasn’t easy at first, but Shiro wanted to make it work for him when Montgomery suggested it to him. When his students became wild and he felt his anger boiling over, he would only need to close his eyes, calm himself, implant _“patience yields focus”_ , and all his anger would melt away. He could continue his lesson without fear of yelling at the students.

Similar to his cadet days, the younger cadets would often come to him for advice. Shiro could be wandering to deliver reports and a gaggle of students would be on him. He was bombarded with questions and their worries with upcoming tests. It came to a point where Shiro needed to set up a scheduling time to see them all. If he wasn’t giving his reports or teaching a class, then one could find him with a group of students or even one.

As stressful as things were, Shiro enjoyed it. The students coming to him for help, Iverson praising him whenever he did something, the chance to be blasted up into space when they needed him. All his work had finally paid off and he couldn’t be happier. There were either emails or letters arriving from his grandmother or brother, telling him how proud they were of him.

This was the happiest he had ever been.

“You’ve done excellent work, Shiro,” Commander Iverson said. He dropped Shiro’s reports onto his desk.

Shiro smiled from ear to ear. That warm feeling blossomed within him and he loved it. He repressed a shudder that threatened to run up his spine. “I’m glad that you think so, Commander Iverson. The cadets we’ve gotten this year are really promising. With some hard work, I’m sure you’ll have plenty of candidates to send up to unexplored planets.”

Iverson grunted. “Yes, it would seem so. They’ll be ready in no time under your tutelage.”

“You flatter me, commander,” Shiro said. “It’s thank to you and Commander Montgomery that I’ve made it this far.”

Iverson didn’t say anything to that.

He squared his shoulders and wandered over to his liquor cabinet. It wasn’t unusual for Commander Iverson to have a drink while Shiro conducted his reports. Often, he would offer him one, but Shiro turned it down. While things were confidential in Iverson’s office, he didn’t want to risk anyone else catching him in the act. He didn’t want to lose his position.

Piano music filled the room and Shiro felt himself relaxing into his seat. This music seemed so familiar.

“I didn’t know you were into classical music, Commander,” Shiro commented. “You seem pretty insistent on your jazz music.”

“It’s a change in pace,” Iverson said.

Shiro agreed with him. He closed his eyes and slumped in his seat. The music washed over him in waves and he was at peace. It was a familiar feeling, but he didn’t know why. If he felt this calm, why should it matter?

“Do you like this music, Shiro?” Iverson asked. He sounded closer now, right beside his chair.

“I do… It’s nice.”

“Good.” His hand moved to Shiro’s neck, his touch firm. “You should always relax and feel good.”

A firm pressure was placed at the base of his skull. Shiro slumped forward, falling steadily into a trance. It felt comforting here.

“Can you hear me, Shiro?” Iverson questioned.

“Yes…”

“Good. It must feel nice being like this, huh? All you have to do is listen to the music, relax, and do exactly as I say.” Iverson moved his hand and massaged Shiro’s shoulder. “You like listening to your commander’s orders, don’t you?”

“I do…”

Iverson’s hand ran through his hair. “That’s good. Keep listening to the music, Shiro. Continue to relax and fall deeper and deeper into this state. Take a deep breath in when the music swells and let it out as it descends.”

Shiro did as he was told, taking in deep breaths and letting them out slowly. A warmth spread out as he obeyed Iverson’s orders. It felt good. He wanted to feel that warmth again and to please his commander.

“That’s right, Shiro. Keep taking deep breaths and letting yourself fall further and further into that trance. Everything else melts away until there’s nothing that matters but the sound of my voice.”

He bit his lip and relaxed further into the seat. Iverson’s voice washed over him, making him feel something he couldn’t quite place. Hands roamed down his chest, undoing the buttons of his blazer. Shiro whimpered, tossing his head back against the chair.

“Shhh. It’s okay, Shiro. Just focus on the sound of my voice as you fall deeper and deeper. Everything’s okay. You like listening to me, don’t you? You like following my orders and feeling nice while doing them, right?”

Shiro sighed. “I do…”

“I’m glad to hear that. Since you like hearing my voice so much, it’ll start giving you sexual pleasure. Whenever you hear my voice while you’re in this trance, you’ll feel your body reacting to it as if you were being sexually aroused. Is that clear?”

He bit his lip and rubbed his thighs together. Shiro could feel his body reacting to Iverson’s words. “I understand, sir…”

“Good. Now listen carefully, Shiro.” Iverson’s voice was by his ear now and he shuddered from it. “At the count of three, you’re going to open your eyes. You’re going to open your eyes, but you’ll still in your trance. You’ll still be willing to carry out all the suggestions and orders I have for you. Do you understand, Shiro?”

“Yes, sir…”

“One… Two… Three…”

Shiro opened his eyes. They focused on the room, but his expression was still calm, content. A hand gripped his chin, turning his face. Iverson ran his thumb over Shiro’s bottom lip.

“Good boy, Shiro. You did good.”

Shiro rubbed his thighs together when the warm feeling burst inside him. _More,_ he thought to himself. He wanted Iverson to command and compliment him more.

“You like listening to me, don’t you? You would do anything that I told you to do if I asked, right?” Iverson questioned. His thumb moved to Shiro’s cheek and stroked it. “Answer me, Shiro.”

He bit his lip and squirmed in his seat. “I would… I’d do anything that you’d ask, Commander Iverson.” Shiro was given a smile and his entire body was racked with a shudder.

“Good. Why don’t you stand up for me in front of the desk? Let me get a good look at you, Shiro.”

As quickly as he could, Shiro rose from his seat. His steps were careful as he walked closer to Iverson’s desk. He stood at attention, waiting for Iverson to give him another command.

“You’re a good lieutenant, Shiro,” Iverson complimented. Shiro shuddered as his body grew warmer. “You listen to all my orders nice and promptly. We could use more like you within the Garrison.”

“I’m glad you think so, sir.”

Iverson circled around Shiro, eyeing his body up and down. “You must be feeling hot in that uniform. Why don’t you take your jacket off?”

Shiro looked down at himself. Iverson had undone all the buttons on his blazer, revealing the white shirt he wore beneath it. There was no shame as he shucked it off and folded it nicely on a chair. Iverson still looked him over carefully, eyeing him up and down. To anyone else, it may have been inappropriate or even uncomfortable.

To Shiro, it made him feel pleasant and warm to have Iverson’s attention on him.

“That feels better, doesn’t it? Your shirt looks like it’s sticking to you. Are you comfortable with that still on?” Iverson questioned.

He shifted from one foot to the other. Shiro still felt hot. It felt like he was burning up and being without his jacket didn’t help him. His flesh itched beneath his clothes and he was uncomfortable. Shiro dug his fingers into his thighs.

“A… little bit-”

“Don’t lie to me, Shiro.”

He bit his lip and shifted from one foot to the other. “It’s not. I feel so… hot…”

“Why don’t you take your shirt off then? I’m sure that you would feel more comfortable if you were to do that. It’s okay, Shiro. Go ahead and take it off.”

Shiro took a deep breath and obeyed Iverson’s exact command. His tank top stuck to his sweaty flesh, but he was happier once it was off him. His dog tags felt cool against his chest and he relished in the cooling sensation.

“Is that better?” Iverson asked.

“Much…”

Iverson raised a hand and cupped Shiro’s pec. Shiro shuddered and shied away from the touch at first. But Iverson’s voice was so soothing that he arched into it, biting his lip.

“You like it when I touch you, don’t you?” Iverson’s nail scratched his nipple and Shiro bit back a moan. “Your nipples are nice and sensitive, aren’t they? I bet they feel nice like this while I’m touching them. Isn’t that so, Shiro?”

As if puzzle pieces were put together, Shiro’s could feel his nipples growing more and more sensitive with Iverson’s words. He nodded his head, unable to trust his words to say what he was feeling.

“Tell me, Shiro, what’s your experience with sex with a man?”

Shiro bit his lip harder. Iverson was paying careful attention to his chest, rubbing the pad of his thumb over the bud. “Sir-”

“Tell me. That’s an order.”

He whined, bowing his head. “I’ve… had sex a few times with classmates back home.” Shiro bit his lip as the warmth spread through him as a tiny trickle. “My former bunk mate… I’ve had sex with him a few times, too…”

Ah, there it was. The warmth that Shiro had enjoyed so much spread through him like a current and he loved it.

Iverson chuckled. “Harrison hasn’t been on the planet in years. Was he the only one you trusted?”

Shiro nodded, refusing to trust his voice. A shudder racked his body when Iverson stepped closer. He could feel Iverson’s bulging hardness against the back of his hand. His breath was against his ear and neck, cooling him from the heat that burned inside him. Iverson’s hand moved to his other pec, giving the nipple the same treatment he had given the other one.

“It’d be nice to feel that pleasure again, wouldn’t it, Shiro?” Iverson questioned. “Wouldn’t you like to feel it one more time?”

A shuddering breath left him. It would feel nice to feel it again. It had been so long. Fucking your hand would get boring after a while and Shiro was no exception of the rule. After a while, it would only be a matter of time before he missed such touches. To be fucked again? To be split wide open that he thought he would faint?

Shiro would die happily if he could feel that again.

“Y-yes, sir…” Shiro muttered.

“Louder, Shiro. Iverson’s voice was strong and commanding. It sent a wave of pleasure through Shiro’s body. “I want to hear you say it, nice and clear.”

He swallowed around the lump in his throat. Shiro could feel his dick hardening from Iverson’s words. The hand that played with his chest, tweaking his nipples and giving them the attention that he hadn’t felt in _months_ was spiraling him down into the crevice of pleasure. It was a hint of what he had in store once he happily gave Iverson what he wanted to hear.

“Please, Commander Iverson!” Shiro licked his dry lips. “I want to feel that pleasure again…!”

Iverson chuckled and even that sound sent a chill down Shiro’s spine. “Good boy, Shiro.” He moved the back of his hand over Shiro’s jaw, his knuckles moving over the sharp lines. “Why don’t you get more comfortable? Take off the rest of your clothes and lean against the desk, hm?

Shiro peeled his clothes away at Iverson’s command. Each piece that fell from his body helped him breathe again, but all it took was one look—one look and Shiro felt like he was on fire again. It wasn’t long before he was bare before his commander, leaning against his desk as if he owned the office. Iverson’s gaze rolling over his body chilled him and fired him up at the same time.

 _More._ Shiro wanted _more_ of Iverson’s attention and his touch on him.

Iverson’s hand reached out and gripped Shiro’s hard cock. He arched into the touch, his cock weeping from the simple touch alone. It showed how hungry he was for something like this. His conscious mind may not be aware of it, but his subconscious? Oh, it knew exactly what he wanted and how hungry he was for it.

“You have an impressively large sized cock,” Iverson commented. “I bet Harrison loved it when he would suck it and get fucked by it.”

Shiro gasped, rocking his hips into Iverson’s hand. His hand was loose, and he let Shiro fuck into his hand. “He’d rather I always be the one fucked…” He sucked in a breath, tossing his head back. “Harrison always said that he was worried he wouldn’t be able to walk straight after I fucked him.”

“But it never stopped him from fucking you,” Iverson said through a laugh.

“Never.”

Iverson gripped him tighter, twisting his hand around Shiro’s cock when he pulled back. “When was the last time you got your cock sucked?”

Shiro sighed. “Too long…”

“I think it’s time we changed that.”

Without another word, Iverson grabbed the spare chair and pulled it closer to Shiro. He sat down, his knees on either side of Shiro’s legs. Shiro stared down at him, chewing his lip between his teeth, waiting for it to finally happen.

Iverson swallowed the tip of his cock in his mouth and Shiro tossed his head back. He tried to spread his legs wider and buck into the hot mouth, but Iverson’s hands were on his hips, keeping him pinned down. All Shiro could do was sit back and let his commander work his mouth up and down his cock. In all his years at the Garrison, he never expected any of the commanders to suck his cock, least of all Commander Iverson.

“O-oh, Commander…” Shiro moaned. He moved to grip the back of Iverson’s head, but he moved his hand to the edge of the desk. His knuckles grew white with how tightly he was gripping it. “Commander I-Iverson, it feels so… good…”

“You deserve that,” Iverson said as he pulled off Shiro’s cock. His hand moved up and down his spit-slicked dick, spreading his spit. “You’ve been such a good boy, listening to your commanders every order.” He returned his mouth on Shiro’s cock and hollowed out his cheeks, sucking him hard.

Shiro felt his legs growing weak with every second that Iverson sucked him off. It was too much and not enough. He wanted more, more, _more._ His nails nearly cracked from the pressure as he `dug them harder into Iverson’s desk. “S-sir—” The words died in his mouth as Iverson stood up, knocking his chair over in the process.

Their bodies were pressed together and Shiro shuddered. He could feel the Iverson’s hardness through his pants. It was rough against his unclothed dick, but it felt so _good_. He slowly lifted his leg to hike it on Iverson’s hip, pulling him in closer. Shiro ground their hips together, relishing the harsh friction of their cocks rubbing together.

“You’re eager, aren’t you?” Iverson asked. He chuckled when Shiro nodded enthusiastically. “You’re just ready to hop on a dick and ride it, huh?”

Shiro tilted his head back and sighed. “Yes, sir. I-I want it so badly…”

Iverson’s hands came up and gripped his ass cheeks, spreading them open. “You’re such a needy little lieutenant.”

He whimpered as Iverson pulled away from him. Like a flower leaning towards the sun, Shiro turned his body while Iverson walked around his desk. He sat down at his chair and rummaged through the draws. Shiro waited patiently, rubbing his thighs together to distract himself from his painful erection. Iverson finally closed the draws and sat back, tossing a plastic bottle onto the desk.

It didn’t take a rocket scientist (and he knew several) to figure out that it was lube. Shiro’s conscious mind would have questioned how long he had it lying around. His subconscious mind was reeling at realizing that this was actually going to happen.

Iverson patted the top of his desk. “Why don’t you sit here, Shiro? Go ahead and give me a show.”

Shiro quickly moved off the desk and around it. He centered himself between Iverson’s legs, biting his lip when his commander hummed approvingly.

“Make it nice and good, okay?” Iverson’s hand reached out and stroked his thigh. “You’ll be good for me, won’t you, Shiro?”

Oh, he would. Shiro knew that following Iverson’s orders would make that warm feeling spread through him. And he wanted that feeling. He wanted it _badly_ , thirsted for it as if he was alone out in the desert looking for water.

He squirted lube onto his fingers, warming them between his fingers. Iverson’s eyes were watching his movements and Shiro loved that. Turning around, he perched his left knee on the edge of Iverson’s desk. He brought his hand around himself and teased at himself. His body was so relaxed that it his hole was swallowing the tips of his fingers. Or perhaps it was his body’s way of saying that he was eager and ready.

Or maybe he was overexcited.

“Slip two fingers in, Shiro,” Iverson ordered. “Look at how ready you are for them. I’m sure you can take two fingers easily.”

As expected, Shiro followed Iverson’s commands, sticking two of his fingers in. His asshole sucked them up eagerly, pulling them in until the second knuckle. Shiro whimpered, scissoring his himself open. Iverson commented every now and then, telling him to push his fingers in deeper or to start thrusting them. Like the cadet he was years ago, Shiro obeyed without complaint, opening his ass more and more for Iverson’s cock.

After a while, when Shiro was three fingers deep in himself and on the verge of pushing his pinky finger in when Iverson grabbed his wrist. Shiro whimpered and looked back at him, his lip between his teeth. Iverson stood up and pulled his cock out of his pants. It was big, just like Shiro knew it would be.

“Are you ready, Shiro?” Iverson asked in his ear. His hot breath had Shiro shuddering. “Are you ready for this?”

Shiro lowered his head and nodded. He had been ready since the moment Iverson sucked his cock. “Yes, sir… I’m ready for it. Just—please, please, _please_ , give it to me…” The sound of a foil ripping pulled a whimper from him even before it started.

Iverson’s cock pressed against his hole and he pushed in roughly. But Shiro _loved_ it.

He hung his head, his mouth hanging open as his walls clenched around Iverson’s invading cock. It had been so long since he had been split open like this. Shiro never realized just how hungry he was for this until it happened. He pushed back against Iverson’s hips, trying to pull him impossibly deeper into his body.

Hands gripped his hips hard. “Shh. Patience, Shiro. You’ll get it and you’ll get it _good.”_

Shiro sobbed as Iverson pulled out of him. He wanted to be filled up again, wanted Iverson to slam back into him. But the pace that was set was slow and steady, which was a stark comparison to how hard Shiro’s hips were being gripped. Iverson’s cock stroked his walls and teased at all the right places that would have driven him mad. All his pleas for Iverson to go harder and faster fell on deaf ears.

Iverson pawed at his chest, squeezing his pec and teasing his nipples. Shiro whimpered and pushed back against him. Once more, he pleaded for his commander to fuck him with more ferocity. Iverson leaned forward and nibbled at his ear.

“Is that really what you want, Shiro? Are you ready to get fucked until you can’t walk straight?”

“Yes!” Shiro tossed his head back. He stared at Iverson over his shoulder and licked his lips. “Sir, please give it to me…”

Iverson pulled out of him, the tip of his cock resting just inside his abused rim. Shiro waited for a beat or two before Iverson slammed into him.

 _This_ was the kind of fucking that Shiro had been hungry for. Iverson plowed into his ass with the relentless pace of someone who hadn’t fucked in years, of a teenager just learning the pleasure of sex. Shiro fell forward and pressed his cheek against the hardwood surface. A hand gripped his shoulder, using it as leverage to fuck him harder.

He wasn’t coherent. All the words that fell from his lips were broken into pieces that sounded like “commander”, “more”, and then some. Drool oozed from the corner of his mouth as Iverson continued to fuck him. Shiro could hear Iverson saying something to him but it was hard to hear. His words melded together until they were a buzzing sound in Shiro’s ear.

“So good…” Shiro muttered.

Iverson’s hand gripped Shiro by his hair and pulled him back until his back was flushed to his chest. His free hand moved to his weeping cock and gave it a stroke. It profusely leaked over his knuckles and fingers, dripping onto the desk and making it a mess. A feeling deep in his stomach twisted and curled, tightening more and more with every thrust deep into his body.

“You’re so filthy for this, Shiro,” Iverson whispered in his ear. “Your hole keeps clenching around me and your cock is weeping.” His thumb pressed against the head of his cock. “You seem like you’re ready to cum. Are you ready to cum, Shiro?”

He had been ready to cum since Iverson had started to fuck him good and hard. Shiro raised a shaking hand and gripped Iverson’s wrist. “Let me cum, commander.” With a whimper, he rolled his hips back against Iverson’s, earning a harder thrust. “Let me cum and feel _good.”_

Iverson chuckled. He nibbled his ear until Shiro keened and arched his back away from him. “Go ahead, Shiro. Go ahead and cum really _hard_ for me. You’ll feel so good when you do it, when you finally cum and spill yourself all over my desk.”

The hand in his hair released him and Shiro fell forward. He braced his hands on the desk, his back bowing as the feeling in his gut released like a wound up spring. Shiro watched as his cum shot from his cock, splattering what looked like important papers on Iverson’s desk. It felt so good, though, like a dam that had finally been open.

His body still rocked as Iverson fucked into him, each thrust coming in harder and faster than the last. Iverson whispered filthy things in his ear. Shiro felt like he was separate from himself, watching the scene as he was fucked. And he _loved_ it, he loved every second if it.

Iverson dug his fingers into Shiro’s shoulders as he slammed their hips together. Even through the condom, Shiro could feel the amount of cum filling it. A primal part of him wanted to feel it leaking out of him and dripping down the back of his thighs.

They slumped forward, bracing themselves on the desk. Iverson’s fingers ran up and down Shiro’s chest. He peppered kisses up and down his neck, nipping at the junction of his shoulder and neck. Shiro was blissed out, relishing in all the attention that he was given. He had listened to his commander’s orders and a constant stream of warmth was flowing through him.

Iverson pulled out of him, leaving Shiro gaping and wanting more. He remained face down on the desk, listening as Iverson moved around the room to dispose of the condom. A firm hand gripped his hip and flipped him onto his back. Shiro bit his lip as eyes roamed his sweaty body, taking in his heavy chest and flushed skin.

Was he going to take him again? _God_ , Shiro hoped he would fuck him one more time.

“Go ahead and get dressed. I want to see you in regulation perfection in no less than fifteen minutes,” Iverson ordered. He pulled away from Shiro, ignoring how he whined and reached out to him.

Shiro stepped off the desk and moved around to his clothes, still folded perfectly on the chair he had been sitting on. He dressed in a timely fashion, knowing that Iverson was watching him do so. He turned around to face him, his hands clasped behind his back. There wasn’t anything out of place on his uniform. To anyone else, it wouldn’t seem like Shiro had been fucked in a leading commander’s office.

Iverson’s eyes wandered his body until he nodded in approval. “You did good, Shiro.” There was that warm feeling again. “Go ahead and sit in your chair. I think our time here is done.” And just like all the other times before, Shiro obeyed. “You’re going to close your eyes again, Shiro. At the count of three, your eyes will close, and you’ll start falling deeper into your trance. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir…”

“One… two… three…”

On cue, Shiro slumped in his seat, his head falling forward. He could feel himself descending into a peaceful feeling, slipping it on like it was a second skin.

“It’s best that you forget everything that happened here today, Shiro. Everything that happened in this room while the piano music was playing will blur. It will blur, and blur, and blur, disappearing until it disappears from your conscious memory, but you’ll be okay with that. Do you understand that, Shiro?”

“Yes… sir…”

“Good boy. While your conscious memory has forgotten all about what had happened, your subconscious mind will remember. It’ll remember what happened here and, when you’re in your trance, you’ll feel yourself wanting it to happen again. Is that clear?”

Shiro’s head nodded in a poor excuse for a nod, but it was still an answer.

“Good.” He could hear Iverson walking across the room. “The music will stop in five, four, three, two, one.”

The music stopped and Shiro opened his eyes. He looked around the room, frowning when he noticed the time. When did it get that late? His eyes followed Iverson, watching as he walked back to his desk. “I’m… so sorry, Commander Iverson. I guess I got a bit too comfortable with the music playing…”

“It’s fine, lieutenant. You’ve had a busy day today.” Iverson sat back in his chair, his fingers interlacing on top of his stomach. “Go on and get something to eat and rest. I’ll see you next week for another report?”

Shiro stood up and smoothed the front of his blazer. “Of course, sir. I expect another good week from these cadets.”

“In your hands, I’m sure you will. Dismissed.”

“Good night, sir.” Shiro saluted and turned on his heel to leave. He noticed when the doors closed behind him that he felt lighter. It felt like his muscles had loosened up just from sitting in Iverson’s office listening to music. As if all the weight from the past week—no, the past _year_ had been released.

It wasn’t a bad feeling and Shiro enjoyed feeling it thoroughly. He rolled his neck and shoulders, sighed at the ceiling.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith enters the situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> once more, thank you so much for my requester for such a large piece. it was an honor to do it!
> 
> and a huge thank you to my editor [anonusr](http://anonusr.tumblr.com/). without them, i probably would have ripped my hair apart. ♥

The crowd of cadets captured his attention the moment he turned the corner. It wasn’t too unusual. After returning from vacation, sometimes he’d find a gaggle of them discussing enthusiastically about a show or a movie they had seen. However, Shiro knew this wasn’t one of those moments.

They were too rowdy. Some cadets were shoving themselves through to the center, eager to get a look at what was happening. Shiro had seen crowds like this when a fight broke out. That was how he figured out what it was, and he knew that he had to stop it before another commander would come by. If it wasn’t him, every cadet in the hall would get drills for months just for witnessing the fight.

“Alright, break it up, break it up!” Shiro shouted as he made his way through the crowd. Some cadets stepped aside for him while others had to be pushed aside.

At the center were two boys wrestling, throwing fists at ribs or as close to each other’s faces as they could get. By the blood on their sleeves, Shiro could see that they had gotten a few good hits in. He didn’t know how long they had been at it, but it was clear that it was long enough.

He reached out and grabbed the collar and shoulder of the first wrestling cadet he could grab. Shiro wrapped his right arm across the cadet’s shoulders and held him close to his chest. His other arm reached out to stop the other student from lunging at them. “I think you two had done enough damage to each other,” Shiro pointed out.

The cadet in his grip struggled a bit more to get free, ready to lunge at his fellow classmate to get a few more hits in. Shiro wasn’t having it, though. He tightened his grip, stilling the student nearly instantly.

“What happened here?” Shiro demanded. He looked back and forth between them, accessing the damage they had done. The cadet in his arm had a black eye and his nose was dripping blood. It was starting to get on Shiro’s green sleeve. “Answer me, cadets.”

“Kogane’s lost it!” the student across from him shouted. He wiped at his bloody mouth. Shiro recognized him as Pinkman. “We were talking about the simulation test scores from last week and he snapped. He attacked me for no reason!”

“Like hell I did, Pinkman!”

Shiro frowned and looked at the cadet in his arms. Keith Kogane was new to the school and transferred in halfway through the semester. He was a promising pilot and could do wonders with the right tutelage. However, Galaxy Garrison had many cadets like him, and not enough commanders or lieutenants to train them all.

“Alright, you two are done for today.” Shiro pointed to Pinkman. “Head down to Infirmary Block B-2 and get your scrapes checked out. Make sure you didn’t lose a tooth or anything. And you?”

He finally released Keith and narrowed his eyes at him. Keith returned the look, standing tall with his shoulders back. He clearly had no issues fighting authority and their regulations. Shiro wondered how many times he irritated a commander of higher status than him.

“Come with me,” Shiro ordered.

Shiro didn’t wait to see if Keith followed him or not. Somehow, he just knew that he was being tailed.

The cadets in the hall had dispersed, leaving only a few stragglers behind. Those who were still there looked away when they passed. They didn’t want to look at Shiro or at Keith. They certainly didn’t want to know what was about to happen to their fellow cadet. Right now, it seemed like Keith was walking on Death Row.

It didn’t take them long to reach Shiro’s little office. While it wasn’t as big as Iverson’s or Montgomery’s, it got the job done. Shiro had a desk to do his paperwork and a small bookshelf to hold files. It was cozy.

“Take a seat,” Shiro ordered, pointing to one of the plastic chairs he stole from a classroom.

From the corner of his eye, he could see that Keith listened. Shiro busied himself with his desk’s draws, fumbling around with them until he found the first aid kit. Sometimes cadets came to him with minor scratches they didn’t want to go to the infirmary for. Shiro made it a habit of keeping himself stocked with antiseptic and bandages just in case. It also helped for himself when he had minor injuries.

Shiro walked back to Keith. He opened the little kit and set it on the desk, pulling out a tiny cleaning wipe. “About Pinkman—”

“That fight wasn’t my fault,” Keith defended, glaring up at Shiro. “Pinkman started running his mouth and he wouldn’t stop talking. He kept pinning his mistakes—”

He waved a hand at Keith. “I know how Pinkman is, Kogane,” Shiro interrupted. Stepping closer, he wiped away at the caked-on blood that was on Keith’s brow. “Pinkman likes to blame others for his own shortcomings. He’s not exactly a team player, but we keep hoping that we’ll find the right team he can work with.” He smiled. “Clearly, we made a mistake. You two don’t get along at all.”

Keith pouted. He wasn’t looking at Shiro and there was a slight hint of color on his cheeks. It was easy to see once he got rid of the blood that was there. Shiro cupped his chin and tilted his head up. He inspected his nose, checking to make sure that it wasn’t broken. Pinkman would be smug for weeks if he learned that he had given Keith a busted nose.

“I threw the first punch, though,” Keith admitted. “Are there going to be repercussions for that?”

“Only if I believe it’s a sufficiently severe incident to report it to a commander, and I don’t think that’s necessary.. I also don’t believe Pinkman is going to run off and snitch on you.” Shiro chuckled. “You got plenty of good hits in yourself. He’s too proud. He won’t admit that you roughed him up that badly.”

“Good to know.”

Shiro was done with his small clean up job. He released Keith’s hand, tossed out the dirty wipe, and closed the first aid kit. Walking back around his desk, he put it away and sat down in his seat. He stared at Keith, analyzing him like he did with any other student he sat with.

It was strange to see so much of himself in Keith. His fiery personality, his raw natural talent, his lack of tolerance for his fellow cadets. Right now, Shiro felt like he was looking at a carbon copy of himself, albeit with different looks. There were probably commanders who had noticed it. It surprised him to not catch wind of them trying to correct him.

Keith couldn’t have gone under the radar so easily. There was a reason and Shiro didn’t know what it was. Perhaps they truly didn’t have enough commanders to train each one of them.

“So…” Keith said, looking all over the room, “if I’m not in trouble, can I go?”

Shiro nodded. “You can. Get some frozen peas or ice from the kitchens for that eye of yours. It might start swelling soon.”

“I’ll do that. Thank you—”

“Lieutenant Shiro.”

“—right. Thank you, Lieutenant Shiro.” Keith stood, saluted, and left his office.

Shiro stared at the door for some time, mulling thoughts over in his head. He thought about Keith and his familiar predicament. It would be a shame if a cadet of such potential was lost among the chaos of cadets coming in and out of the Garrison. It would be a waste if someone didn’t do something to help him. If there was one thing that Shiro learned working as a lieutenant, Galaxy Garrison didn’t approve of losing out on talent.

Shiro decided to keep a close eye on him.

* * *

“So far, things seem to be going well. A lot of the new cadets that came in are nervous, as expected, but they’re shaking their jitters. They keep coming to me to talk about their problems and I listen. I don’t think we have anything to worry about in the long run. Things will change in a month or two.”

“Hm.”

Shiro lowered his report and stared down at Iverson’s hand. From the moment he walked into the office, he undid the buttons of his blazer, folded it neatly, and pulled off his shirt. Iverson liked to play around with his chest and nipples while he gave his reports. Sometimes he would sit on the desk or even in his lap. He’d get comfortable and report in while Iverson played with his chest.

His subconscious knew that this was his fifteenth visit since that day. During Shiro’s visits, Iverson had trained him to feel comfortable in his office and around him. The first few times involved just taking off his jacket. The following visits warmed him up to taking off his undershirt so that Iverson could see his bare chest.

After that, it was only a matter of time before Shiro was comfortable in his conscious mind to let Iverson touch him. Within Shiro’s mind, there was nothing strange about any of this—the room would be warm, and he felt more comfortable without his shirt on, anyway. And allowing Iverson to inspect as if he was something rare wasn’t anything too unusual for him.

Sex  _ did _ usually happen during these visits, but it happened more when Shiro was tranced out. His subconscious would take over and his body would burn hot, desperate for Iverson’s touch on his skin.

“I heard there was a fight in B-hall,” Iverson commented.

Shiro closed his eyes. There was no sense in keeping quiet about it. Iverson had eyes and ears all over the campus. He may have been the only one to stop it, but that didn’t mean another commander hadn’t saw or heard about it. All news like that went straight to Iverson no matter what. “There was a fight, but I handled it. It was just a misunderstanding between two cadets, not unlike how I used to be.”

The pad of Iverson’s finger moved over Shiro’s nipple and he suppressed a shudder. “What do you think about them?”

Shiro tapped his nail against the edge of Iverson’s desk. Keith had been on his mind since he met him. He pulled his file up on a tablet and looked through it, seeing more and more of himself in him. After knowing they were so alike, how could Shiro stay away? He knew Keith could be great if he was given the chance.

“Keith Kogane was one of the cadets in the fight.”

“I’ve been told,” Iverson said. He moved his hand to Shiro’s other nipple, giving it the same attention. “What about him?”

He bit his lip. Suggesting he take Keith under his wing for training could be incredibly risky. If it turned out that Keith wasn’t as promising as the Garrison had hoped, then Shiro would get the blowback. The commanders would think that he wasted his time on a hot-headed nobody when he could have trained someone else, someone the Garrison approved and was less of a risk.

But Shiro believed that Keith could  _ become _ someone great.

“He has his hot-headed moments, but his sim scores are high.” Shiro had memorized Keith’s files and scores front to back. “His written tests aren’t that great, but we can work on that. There are still some areas in the sim that we can polish to make them smoother.”

Iverson chuckled. “You sound like you want to be his mentor.” He looked into Shiro’s face and he narrowed his eyes. “Why? What’s so special about him?”

Shiro sighed. “Nothing  _ too _ special, but we  _ need _ more cadets like him. Cadets who aren’t afraid of trusting their instincts and thinking outside the box. Nowadays, the cadets we bring in don’t know how to quickly disappear out of an enemy’s line of sight. There’s not enough training for them all to learn it.

“But if you give me a chance with Keith? I can make it so that he’s as good as I am.”

Iverson pulled his hand away and leaned back in his seat. He stared at Shiro for a while, regarding him with a thoughtful look. It made Shiro nervous and he could feel a lump forming in his throat. If Iverson said no, he would listen, but then Shiro knew they would be making a mistake. No matter what, he would do everything in his willpower to make sure that Keith didn’t slip through the cracks.

“All right,” Iverson finally said after a long while. He stood up and wandered over to his liquor cabinet. “I’ll let you care for the Kogane cadet. If anyone can get him on the right track, then it’ll be you.”

Piano music filled the office and Shiro felt himself relaxing within seconds. His shoulders sagged as he listened, his head rolling to the side. It always surprised him with how easily this piece could calm him. “Thank you, sir,” Shiro muttered, closing his eyes.

He could hear Iverson walk over to him and Shiro felt his hand on the back of his neck. Iverson rubbed at it, slowly moving up his neck and to his skull. “You’re welcome, Shiro. You’re a good lieutenant and you’re an asset to the Garrison.”

The base of his skull was squeezed and Shiro fell deep into his trance.

* * *

As soon as Shiro heard the knock on his door, he gathered up his paperwork and hidden it away. “Come in.”

The doors slid open and Keith stepped inside. He looked a little better than he did a few days ago. Shiro could see the fading color of a black eye and his nose looked better. He hadn’t had a chance to see how Pinkman was doing, but his own injuries must be close to being healed over. If this affected how they acted as a team, then he didn’t know. The next time they did a simulation, he would need to look over the results.

“You wanted to see me?” Keith asked. He stood straight and poised.

“At ease. You’re not in trouble, Keith,” Shiro assured. At this, Keith relaxed, his shoulders sagging. “Take a seat. I just wanted to have a talk with you.”

Keith did as was suggested, sitting down on one of the chairs. Shiro needed to remember to get better chairs for his office. “If I’m not in trouble, then what am I here for?”

Standing up, Shiro stood up and walked around his desk. He sat on the edge facing Keith. “You’re here because you’re a special case, Keith. Your simulation scores are quite high for a cadet so young, but there are several things keeping you from being one of our top students.”

Keith scowled at this. He crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat. “Here we go… You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know.”

“Then you already know how your temper gets you in trouble, and how your written test scores are below average?”

“Yep.”

Shiro wondered how many commanders had done this. Keith must have been in a lot of offices, hearing the same thing over and over again. It was a little disheartening, and it must have taken a toll on Keith’s confidence. That could have been Shiro. Shiro could have been the cadet who was told all his flaws while no one reached out to help. It was thanks to Iverson, Holt, and Montgomery that he was here today.

Without their guidance and help, Shiro wouldn’t be a lieutenant.

“I want to help you change that, Keith,” Shiro said.

Keith gave him a skeptical look. That was fair, Shiro thought.

Shiro had read Keith’s files. He had read each new page that another commander or lieutenant had put in it, making it bigger than even the most troubled cadet. Each page listed how they could never get through to Keith. They had given up without really trying methods that would work best for Keith. Even when they tried, it seemed that they didn’t last for long.

So, Keith’s frustrations were justified. His expectations and hopes could have been raised so often, just to be let down in the end. It was clear that he had a lot of walls up, built up over time. Shiro knew that if he were in Keith’s shoes, the same thing would have happened to him.

If he wanted to help him, Shiro would need to break down his walls, or at least find a way to sneak past them.

“You hold promise in you, Keith,” Shiro continued. “With the right guidance and someone to look over you, you have a chance at being one of the best cadets to come out of Galaxy Garrison.” He smiled. “You’ll even be better than me and best all my scores if you work hard enough.”

Keith’s leg started to jump and Shiro could see his arms tightening around himself. Either he was nervous, or he didn’t believe him, Shiro wasn’t sure. He waited patiently for Keith to say something. That was one thing he knew that he would need for Keith: patience.

“Why would you do all this for me?” Keith asked quietly.

It felt like he was explaining himself to Iverson all over again. With Iverson, he needed to choose his words carefully or he wouldn’t be able to convince both of them that Keith was worth salvaging. But he had experience with Iverson.

With Keith, he still needed to be careful since he was on less solid ground. The last thing he needed was to trigger Keith’s anger and allow it to flare up. Shiro had been mulling over his thoughts ever since he sent a cadet to fetch Keith for him. Even with all that time, he still didn’t know what to say.

“Because I see myself in you, Keith,” Shiro answered. Keith’s surprised look didn’t go unnoticed before he hid it behind a mask of confusion. “It was only a few short years ago when I was like you. I was quick to my own bursts of anger whenever my teammates screwed up a mission. Whenever an enemy ship fired at us, I went ahead and fired back, even though that wasn’t part of the mission plan.

“I had not one but  _ three _ commanders on my side, encouraging me to do better, to be a better person.” Shiro waved a hand between them. “Just like those commanders were there for me, I want to be there for you. I think with me as your mentor, you’ll make great strides within the Garrison. With me by your side, Keith, there’s nothing that I won’t be able to help you achieve.”

Keith was silent as Shiro went on his speech. His eyes never left Shiro, staring at him as he soaked in every word like a sponge.

After everything he had said, he hoped that Keith would take him up on his offer. Shiro saw so much potential in him, and he would hate to see him lost in the sea of cadets that entered and left the Garrison. He could be so much more than a temperamental loner who flew circles around everyone. Shiro knew that Keith had what it took to be the best pilot the Garrison had ever seen.

“You won’t give up on me?” Keith asked quietly.

The question caught Shiro off guard.

Keith seemed so vulnerable right now. Shiro hadn’t noticed how Keith had curled in on himself as he was speaking, staring down at his feet as the silence grew on. Never in his time at the Garrison had he ever seen a cadet do a 180 like this. Keith was a shell of his normal fiery self and it startled Shiro.

Carefully, as if he was approaching a terrified animal, Shiro got down from his desk and onto his knees. He reached out and gripped Keith’s arms, giving them a squeeze. Keith slowly raised his head until he could make eye contact with Shiro. There were so many words that Shiro could use to explain what he saw in Keith’s eyes. He saw the fear of failure in his eyes combined with the fear of things not working out for him.

Keith opened his mouth and snapped it shut. Whatever he was about to say, Shiro would never know. “I won’t abandon you, Keith,” he assured. “I’m with you until the end of the line, no matter what line you take.”

More silence filled the space between them and Shiro waited patiently for an answer. If Keith decided to huddle under his wing and be guided, then Shiro could get started on a plan for him. If not, then he would need to go to Iverson’s office with his tail between his legs and admit defeat. No one could force Keith to have a mentor. Without one, he’d eventually fail out and Shiro wouldn’t be able to do anything but watch it happen.

“Okay,” Keith answered quietly. He licked his lips and looked away from Shiro. “I’ll… Whatever plan you have, Lieutenant Shiro, I’ll do it.”

Shiro smiled, relief coursing through him. It pleased him to know that Keith would take his help. He would set him up on the right path and get him the help he needed. No matter what, Shiro would make sure Keith succeeded.

He gave Keith’s arms another squeeze. “I’m glad. Thank you for taking this chance, Keith. More importantly, thank you for giving  _ me _ a chance.” He stood up, clasping his hands behind his back. “Why don’t we get started and make a plan on how to get you going?”

Neither of them could have predicted how difficult curbing Keith’s anger was going to be.

In the beginning, Shiro thought that he and Keith were 100% similar, but that was far from the case. Keith was prone to more angry outbursts than Shiro had ever found himself falling into. While Shiro’s anger was triggered by missions or an overwhelmed day in the classrooms, his anger could be triggered just by someone looking at him the wrong way. A day didn’t go by where he didn’t learn about a fight that had broken out with Keith in the middle of it.

It was something that he didn’t like to admit, but Shiro had reached the end of his rope once. When it happened, he suggested that Keith see Montgomery for a talk. That idea discarded almost as soon as the words left Shiro’s mouth. Keith had trust issues and, though Shiro was honored that he managed to earn his trust, it did make getting help difficult. All it took was one plea from Keith to continue working together for Shiro to relent to his demands.

With external help off the table, they both agreed on similar methods that Montgomery had given Shiro years ago. They may not have worked for him, but it wasn’t impossible for one of them to work for Keith. Every week they tried something different, but it seemed that Keith had done worse than Shiro did back then. None of the methods were enough to curb Keith’s anger and Shiro could see that it only made it worse with each one they tried.

Shiro was quickly burning through all his ideas to help Keith. He knew that mentoring Keith wouldn’t be easy—Commander Iverson warned him and so did Commander Holt. While Iverson wouldn’t let Shiro give up, Commander Holt seemed inclined to suggest he let Keith go.

Every commander could see a lost cause when they saw one, and Holt saw Keith as one of them—even if he didn’t like admitting so. It was such a shock when one of the commanders that helped Shiro had suggested he give up on Keith.

_ “You’ve worked so hard to be where you are, Shiro. I wouldn’t want to see your hard work go to waste. Someone else will be out there that can help Keith—someone with a lot less to lose than you. He’ll be alright.” _

But Shiro wouldn’t, he couldn’t.

Often, Shiro found himself putting himself in his own trance, doing his best to calm down when his blood pressure rose. Usually, it happened when another commander brought a bloodied Keith to his office. If he was like Commander Iverson and drank every time another method of reigning in Keith’s anger failed, Shiro predicted he would succumb to alcohol poisoning within days.

Shiro wouldn’t give up, though. He promised Keith that he wouldn’t abandon him, and he wouldn’t.

Even now, with Keith sitting in his office looking just as frustrated as he was, Shiro was committed to helping him. It was clear that he was growing more impatient with every failed attempt. Shiro wished he had more experience with this—he lacked Montgomery’s expertise and was worried Keith was dangerously close to giving up.

Shiro wouldn’t let him, though. They had come so far and tried so many things. It would be a waste for them to give up now.

“What’s next on your list?” Keith asked. His irritated tone didn’t go unnoticed.

Looking over his list, Shiro frowned. “Honestly?” He crumbled up the paper and tossed it to the garbage can near his door. He missed. “I got nothing. We expended every possible option to calm your temper and get you on the right track. You are officially the  _ angriest _ cadet in the history of the Garrison.” Shiro chuckled and slumped in his seat. “I’ve lost my crown.”

Keith smiled. “Does that mean I get it?”

“It’s already at the polishers. I’m getting it nice and shiny for you to wear around campus. Wear it with pride.”

“Oh, I will.”

Shiro laughed. It was nice that they had gotten this close to one another. Even though they had failed in straightening Keith out, they got to know each other over the weeks they’d been working together. He learned that Keith liked to speed through the desert on his hoverbike and would often invite Shiro to join him. They used it as motivation for when he passed his written exams.

He also learned that Keith was well adept at fighting. Shiro was thrilled to see him take on cadets bigger than him. It would help whenever he needed to step out of his ship and take matters into his own hands—literally.

With all their shortcomings, Shiro couldn’t be happier than he had made a friend with his trainee. Things may not have turned out the way they planned, but something did happen. They had grown closer to each other, often glued to each other’s hips when they weren’t focused on correcting Keith.

Remembering what was on the line, Shiro got serious. “We still need to figure out what we need to do, Keith.”

“Shiro…” Keith groaned and buried his face in his hands. “We don’t have anything else to go on. Maybe we should just… throw in the towel. You can give up on me. I won’t hold it against you.”

The comment may have been uttered quietly, but Shiro flinched away as if Keith raised a fist at him. Since becoming friends with Keith, it didn’t take him long to realize just how fragile his confidence was. His hopelessness tore into Shiro like sharp nails digging into his flesh.

He wanted Keith to succeed. It wasn’t only because he didn’t want to fail in front of Iverson, but because Shiro didn’t want to hear talk about himself like that again.

“Keith, we still have one more option.”

He raised his head and stared at Shiro. There was doubt in his eyes and Shiro couldn’t blame him. Three years ago, he did the same thing when the option was offered to him. “Like what?” Keith asked.

Shiro bit his lip. “Hypnotism.”

There it was. The incredulous look he was sure that he had given Montgomery back then. Keith’s face had to be a mirrored example of what his face had twisted into. It was a long shot and Shiro knew this, but he had to take it. If there was one thing that could help Keith, hypnotism was the way to go. If it could help Shiro, it could help Keith.

During the times when they had failed, a voice told him that he should have suggested it in the first place. Hypnotism had worked so well for Shiro that it could work for Keith. It was fear that kept him from doing so—fear that Keith would look at him differently, fear that Shiro wouldn’t be able to help him. With Keith’s distrust of other people, it would be difficult to convince him to go to Montgomery.

Shiro already tried that once and Keith wasn’t keen on the idea of seeing her.

“I know it’s not exactly conventional, Keith, but it works,” Shiro assured. “Three years ago, I was like you: angry, quick to jump down the throat of whichever teammate screwed me over. It came to the point where the commanders overseeing me were contemplating giving my position to someone else.”

Shiro had changed so much since then. He still was prone to getting angry, but he knew how to manage it now without help from Montgomery. His theory was that he could have Keith do the same if he directed him through it. How hard could it be?

He hoped he wouldn’t eat those words later.

Standing up, Shiro walked around the desk until he could sit in the chair beside Keith. “There’s a commander who functions as a counselor here on the base. She’s good at what she does and uses alternative methods to aid cadets through difficult stages. She was the one who opened my mind to hypnotism and even hypnotized me. When we were done, Montgomery even taught me how to self-hypnotize myself for when someone pushed a button too hard.”

Keith thrummed his fingers on his leg. Shiro knew what Keith was thinking; this wouldn’t work and that he would be left behind. He wished he could make Keith understand that, even if hypnotism wasn’t the solution for him, Shiro wouldn’t give up. They would find a way together that would work best for him.

No matter what, Shiro refused to believe that Keith was a lost cause.

“This won’t work if you don’t open your mind to it, Keith,” Shiro warned. “If you keep it closed off, then I’m afraid this will work as well as a snake bite.”

“... Is that some sort of expression where you’re from or…?”

“No, Keith, it’s a metaphor.”

“That’s so weird, though. Like… a snake bite? I don’t get it…”

“You’re getting off topic—forget about the metaphor for a moment!”

His sigh resonated in the small room. Keith ran his fingers through his hair and stared at the floor. Minutes passed before he righted himself, pressing his back against the chair. “Okay. How do we start?”

Shiro smiled at him. “Close your eyes and start taking deep breaths.” It was strange being on this end of the induction. He had read a few things online and even went to gather advice from Montgomery herself. With what little information he had, Shiro hoped he would be able to help. “Keep taking deep breaths, Keith. Deep breath in, and then deep breath out. Deep breath in, and then deep breath out.”

Keith followed his orders, his chest rising and falling with every breath he took. Shiro wondered if he looked like this when he first went through hypnotism.

“Start counting back from ten, Keith. Keep breathing and say the number with each inhale. With each exhale, feel a part of your body start to relax, from your head down to your toes.”

Shiro watched as Keith did what he was told. He hoped that this would work for him. It was the only thing that they had left to go on. Forcing him to go to Commander Montgomery was going to be a last resort. If anyone could make this work for Keith, it would be her.

He cupped his cheek in his hand as Keith counted, each number taking a bit longer than the last. Eight, seven, six, five, four… “You should be nearly there now, Keith. Once you reach one, you should feel your entire body relaxed and loose.”

“Two… One…” Shiro saw Keith sigh and settle further into his chair.

“Now, I want you to imagine a door appearing before you. Go through it. Go through it and you’ll find yourself in a secluded place, a place where you feel the most relaxed and comfortable.”

Keith sucked in a shuddering breath, but he didn’t open his eyes. From what Shiro could tell, he was still relaxed and fully in a hypnotic state. He never saw Keith this relaxed before. It was his only clue that this was working.

“Take a deep breath and smell the scent of the place, Keith. Feel the ground beneath your feet. Listen to the sounds that you hear in that place. Just let the feeling of being there and being calm consume you and take you deeper into a trance.”

Shiro watched for any signs that Keith may be pretending to follow through with what he said. He wouldn’t know how to tell the difference, but he trusted Keith to be honest in his facial expressions. It was usually how he gave himself away when he tried to hide something. Shiro didn’t see any sign of him pretending. That was good.

“Stay there as long as you like, Keith. Let yourself relax and grow calm. There’s no rush. You can come out of it at any time. While you’re there, though, I want you to say something to yourself. ‘Patience yields focus’. Say it to yourself again and again. Every time you say it, imagine yourself growing calm. When you say it, you’ll be able to think rationally and clearly.”

Keith took in a stuttering breath. It was quiet, but Shiro could hear him muttering the words to himself. Shiro rubbed his fingers together, wondering if it was working or not. It worked for him, but or Keith? All he could do was hope.

“When you’re ready to come out, Keith, count up to ten. With each number you say to yourself, you’ll feel yourself become more and more awake.”

Once more, Shiro watched Keith count to ten quietly. He held his breath as Keith slowly opened his eyes. There was a small part of him deep inside that had an inkling that it didn’t work. If it didn’t work, they would need to go to Montgomery. She would be able to get Keith on the right path.

As Keith said “ten”, he opened his eyes and looked around the room, his lips pursing. Shiro’s heart was hammering in his chest. He couldn’t live with the suspense any longer.

“How do you feel, Keith?” Shiro asked, his head tilted to the side.

Keith opened his mouth and then closed it. He pursed his lips once more, staring down at his lap. “I feel… lighter? It kinda feels like a weight was lifted off my shoulders.”

Shiro often compared his own relaxation to a fire going out. Sometimes he could smell the smoke from the wood and it calmed him even more. This was his only sign that things had worked out. It pleased him to know that it might have. They had other options if it failed, but right now they could work with what they had. Shiro needed to keep his own confidence and hope up as much as Keith’s.

“From now on, Keith, when you find yourself getting angry or frustrated, bring yourself back too that relaxing place. Bring yourself back there and say the words I told you to say,” Shiro said, leaning in close to the cadet. “I promise you that if you start this, you’ll see an improvement.”

Keith opened his mouth and Shiro knew it would be something negative. He cut him off,

“Don’t think of it like it’s going to fail. Have confidence in yourself and this method. Things will work out.”

From his look alone, Shiro knew that Keith still didn’t believe him. What choice did either of them have, though? This was their second to last resort. If the next thing failed, then Keith would be a lost cause. Needless to say, that was something that neither of them wanted to admit.

“Okay…” Keith mumbled.

* * *

Shiro’s moans were hardly muffled by the soft pillow beneath his head and the soft music filling the room. The bed he was on was firm, but it was better than having his hips digging into the edge of Iverson’s desk. His knees would be sore by the time Iverson was done pounding into him tonight, but he didn’t care. All that existed was the fire burning deep in his gut, an urge for Iverson to fuck him harder and faster. An urge to please his commanding officer.

“How’s working with the Kogane kid going?” Iverson asked, his words breaking apart.

With a whimper, Shiro pushed himself up to his hands. His arms were shaking, and he didn’t trust his strength too much at the moment. It felt like he would fall flat on his face at any second. That was how good it felt. “I-it’s going well…” He moaned and bowed his head. “We struggled for a bit, but— _ ah! _ Please, sir! Right there…”

“Focus, Shiro,” Iverson ordered. But the new angle of his thrusts was too much. This way, he could assault the swollen bundle of nerves deep inside Shiro, forcing lewd sounds and whimpers to fall from his lips like molasses. “What was the struggle about?”

This wasn’t the first time Iverson fucked him and asked for an update on his situation with Keith. Shiro believed that Iverson liked hearing him try to sound coherent just so that he could twist his hips  _ just _ right and make him lose his composure. He always succeeded and Shiro couldn’t do anything more than to hang on for the ride. And he had to do this all while giving his report.

After giving his lip a hard bite, Shiro tried again, “None of the calming methods seemed to have worked.” Iverson pushed into him  _ hard _ and he tried to bite back a moan. He failed. “Meditation, exercise, nothing  _ worked _ for him. So, I— _ oh, _ that felt good—I suggested self-hypnotism to him.”

Iverson stopped, their hips flushed together. Shiro tried not to whine—whining wouldn’t get him anywhere when it came to getting his commander to start fucking him again. It was hard, though, and a pitiful sounding whine escaped him.

“Is that so?” Iverson questioned. He moved his hips again and Shiro sighed happily. It felt good to have his commander fucking him again.

Shiro lowered himself onto his folded arms, a tiny moan escaping him whenever Iverson hit the best spot. The grip on his hips grew tighter and Shiro wondered if there would be bruises there later. He never questioned the bruises he had, even when he was awake. Sometimes, he liked to press into them and feel the slight pain that would flare up.

It was something that Iverson had placed into his subconscious mind, something for him to enjoy when they couldn’t find time together.

“How did it go?” Iverson asked. “The hypnotism. Did he take it well?”

Shiro whimpered. “I-I think so. I only helped induce him this afternoon…”

Iverson hummed thoughtfully. He thrust into Shiro harder, angling his hips once more to assault his swollen prostate. A hand went into Shiro’s hair and he moaned lewdly when Iverson pulled him by it. His back arched, and it allowed for a better angle. It all felt so amazing and Shiro loved it. If he could remain like this, he would be happy.

“Bark for me, Shiro.”

He stepped a foot out of his haze. “W-what…?”

Leaning forward, Iverson pressed his lips against Shiro’s shoulder. “I want to hear you bark like a dog for me. You can do that, can’t you?”

There was a burst of embarrassment that flared up inside him, the small bit of his conscious mind that was aware of what was happening. If he could, Shiro would have lowered his head in shame. “I… I can’t do that, sir…”

Iverson’s hand snaked around him and gripped his cock. He stroked it slowly, squeezing at the base whenever he moved his hand down. “Perhaps this will help, Shiro. I asked you just now to bark, like a dog. Dogs are such simple creatures, aren’t they, Shiro? They never have to worry about being embarrassed, and they can just feel the pleasure of obeying their owner. It would feel good, wouldn’t it, to shed all that worry and embarrassment you’re feeling. Wouldn’t that be easier?”

“Y-yes, it would.”

“You can imagine it, can’t you? Your thoughts are slowing down, speech becoming harder to do… It’s more difficult to form words now, but that’s alright. You don’t need words anymore, you’re going to be just like a dog—relaxed and free to enjoy the pleasure of your owner.” Iverson petted Shiro’s hair, scratching behind his ear. “Doesn’t that feel nice?”

Things shifted into place like cogs on a wheel. The block that kept him from following Iverson’s suggestion disintegrated as if it wasn’t there at all. Shiro was consumed with the overwhelming desire to please his commander. There was no room for any other intrusive thoughts and he was at peace.

After licking his lips, Shiro opened his mouth, “Arf…”

Iverson released his hold on Shiro’s hair. He ran it down his back until he could grip Shiro’s hip. “Speak—you can be louder than that, can’t you? It’s okay to show that you’re excited to make me happy.” Iverson gave Shiro’s hip a comforting squeeze. “Who’s a good boy?” He rolled his hips in a certain way that had the lieutenant beneath him crying out.

Shiro would have done anything to feel that warmth spreading throughout him. It was different from how he felt when Iverson made him cum. Its heat was on a different level that had Shiro feel like he was  _ melting. _ And all he had to do was follow Iverson’s orders and it would consume him like a bonfire.

“Go ahead, Shiro _ —speak.” _

Arching his back, Shiro opened his mouth, “Arf!” Iverson fucked him harder and he moaned. “Arf, arf, arf, arf!” The warmth filled him up. Combined with the tightening in his stomach, it felt explosive, melting his insides until they were a puddle.

“You’re such a good boy, Shiro,” Iverson complimented. He squeezed Shiro’s hips and ran his hands up and down his side. “You’re being a good little dog, getting fucked and wrapped around me so tightly.” Iverson moaned, fucking into him faster.

Shiro whined. He crossed his arms beneath them and buried his face into them. The edge of bliss was right there, ready for him to fall over and succumb to it. His walls clenched around Iverson’s dick, desperate to keep him inside whenever he pulled out. “Nnn… nnn…!”

“Keep speaking, Shiro,” Iverson commanded. “Let me hear how much of a good boy you are.”

So Shiro did, barking like a bitch in heat while Iverson continued to pound into him. The coil inside him tightened more and more until it finally released. It released like a spring and an intense feeling exploded throughout him. Shiro’s legs shook as he clenched around Iverson’s cock inside him. His own cock spurted all over the clean sheets beneath him. It would only be a matter of moments before Iverson would have him clean them with his mouth.

Behind him, Iverson pounded away until he finally filled him up, coating his insides with a white heat. They stopped using condoms sessions ago. Shiro enjoyed the feeling of his commander filling him up and the way his cum leaked out of his ass and down his thighs. It was another thing that Commander Iverson made sure that Shiro would enjoy.

Iverson pulled out of him slowly, his cock making a lewd sound as it slipped out of his ass. A rush of cum followed him and it only trickled faster when Iverson gripped Shiro’s ass cheeks and spread him open. Cum leaked out of Shiro’s hole and dribbled down his thighs until it touched the bed.

“Beautiful,” Iverson whispered. Shiro shuddered from the compliment. “What a bad boy you are making a mess on the bed—you should clean it up.”

As expected, Shiro licked his own cum off Iverson’s sheets. He opened his mouth to prove that he had it all before swallowing it. Iverson was pleased by this and warmth spread through Shiro once more as the space behind his ear was scratched.

“You’re such a good boy, Shiro,” Iverson complimented. He petted Shiro’s head. “Now, let’s go back to a human again—you won’t be a dog anymore and your speech is starting to return. Your words are coming back, and you’ll be able to talk normally again.”

The more Iverson spoke, the more Shiro found himself coming out of his dog headspace. It felt like he was walking up a flight of stairs until he reached the top. Shiro took in a deep breath.

“Are you back to my nice and obedient lieutenant?”

“Yes, sir.”

At Iverson’s command, Shiro got dressed, making sure that nothing was out of place. Iverson watched him as he did so, and he enjoyed having his eyes on him.

“It seems like our time here is done, Shiro,” Iverson said. He stood up from his seat on his bed, advancing towards Shiro with small steps. He raised his hand and gripped Shiro’s shoulder. “You did well today and I’m proud of you.”

There it was. It spread throughout Shiro and he shuddered. “Thank you, sir. I’m happy to hear this.”

“Good boy. At the count of three, you’ll find yourself falling into another sleepy trance. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

“One… Two… Three…”

Shiro’s head slumped forward, but he remained steady on his feet. It was another thing that had taken them time to work on. This way, Iverson could bring Shiro into a trance state wherever he wanted and not worry about him falling over.

“Just like every other time you spend with me, Shiro, you’re going to forget what happened in this bedroom. The memories will blur and blur until they don’t exist, but that’s okay. You won’t be bothered by this. You’ll walk out of this room and back to your dorm, pleasantly satisfied by how light you feel. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir…”

“There’s one more thing you have to do, though, Shiro,” Iverson said. “If you want to help Keith, you’ll need to have him hypnotized by Montgomery. The next time you have a session with Keith Kogane, the next time he induces himself, you will suggest that he should see Commander Montgomery for a hypnosis session. You know that Keith seeing Montgomery, and receiving the same suggestions you received, would be the best way forward for him. Suggest to him to tell Montgomery to give him the same triggers as she had given you. Is that clear, Shiro? Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir…”

“Good boy, Shiro.” He shuddered at Iverson’s words, the warm feeling spreading throughout him. He could hear Iverson shuffling across the room. “The music will stop when I count down from five. Five… four… three… two… one…”

The music stopped and Shiro broke out of his trance. If it weren’t for what Iverson had said during this session, he would have questioned why he was standing in his commander’s room. Instead, he saluted him and Shiro left the room without another word.

The walk back to his room was calm and relaxing. Shiro stretched his arms above his head and sighed. He wasn’t sure  _ why _ he felt this good after spending a few moments with Commander Iverson, but he didn’t mind it. Working within the Garrison was stressful, and everyone looked for a way to unwind. Even if his way was as simple as talking to Iverson, then he was fine with that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just one more chapter to go! i personally like the puppy play touch my commissioner asked to sneak in. my editor helped get that to perfection and damn do i love it. ♥
> 
> come see dirty ass shit on [twitter](https://twitter.com/perversionsao3/) and [tumblr](https://perversionsao3.tumblr.com/). you can also talk dirty to me on [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/perversions).


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The situation reaches its climax.

Everything was quiet in the gym. Most of the other lieutenants and commanders had left for the evening, which was how Shiro liked it. He wasn’t embarrassed by his body, but he preferred to have the gym all to himself; he found that he was able to focus more on his workout regiment if he was alone.

Shiro lost himself to the repetitive nature of pulling himself up for a pull-up and then easing himself back down. He ticked the number off under his breath counting off the amount he had done so far.

“I think this belongs to you, Shiro,” a gruff voice said.

Still in a pull-up position, Shiro looked to find Iverson holding Keith by the scruff of his neck. There was discoloration around Keith’s eye and it was all he needed to know what happened. They had been doing well at getting Keith to calm down with self-hypnosis. Shiro aided him when they were together, nudging him in the right direction.

It didn’t seem like enough. Keith had come so far…

Shiro lowered himself from the ground. With any other commander, he would have wiped the sweat off his body and reached for a shirt. Around Iverson, he was comfortable, sweat and all. He placed his hands on his hips and sighed. “Keith…”

Keith looked away from him, unable to meet Shiro’s eyes.

“I pulled him off another cadet just a while ago,” Iverson answered. “I thought you had better control over him, Shiro.”

It had been so long since he was last criticized by Commander Iverson, but the disappointment still cut through him. Shiro felt like a dog that had been kicked by his owner. “I’m so sorry for this, Commander Iverson. I promise we’ll do better.” He turned his attention to Keith. It wasn’t his fault alone that things weren’t working out. Shiro had to try harder, as well. “Isn’t that right, Keith?”

There wasn’t a response from him for some time. Several moments passed before Keith finally nodded his head slowly.

Iverson released Keith, allowed him to walk closer to Shiro and slip behind him. “See that you do, Shiro,” Iverson demanded.

He stepped closer and raised a hand, placing it on his Shiro’s chest. The moment his palm touched Shiro’s pec, a shudder wracked the sweaty man’s body. A small gasp left him as Iverson’s hand grazed his nipple. It was short lived as Iverson’s moved his hand up to a muscular shoulder.

“You’re putting a lot on the line for this kid and I still don’t see a reason for it.”

“I promise you that he has potential, sir, and we’re making progress, I assure you.”

“Hm,” Iverson hummed. “See that you do. If this keeps up, Kogane will be on the next bus out of here. Whatever talent he has will be wasted if he gets booted from the campus.”

“I understand, sir.”

“Good.” Iverson patted Shiro’s shoulder before he pulled his hand away and turned on his heel to leave.

Shiro held his breath, waiting for his footsteps to finally stop echoing in the halls. When they died down and all was quiet, he let it out slowly. Today had been such a good day, too. He turned to look at Keith, finding a perplexed look on his face. “Are you alright?” Shiro asked.

Keith looked to the floor, avoiding Shiro’s gaze. “I’m fine.”

That stung Shiro. While he couldn’t tell that Keith was lying to him, it’s what it felt like. Shiro worked hard to get over the walls Keith had put up. It had taken months for it to happen. Now, he felt like he was back to square one. It felt like Keith didn’t trust him anymore and Shiro couldn’t figure out why.

“Let me wash up and then we can head to my office,” Shiro said, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice. “I won’t be long.”

“Okay,” Keith muttered.

Shiro showered quickly, racking his mind to find out what could have gone wrong. Keith had been doing good. Something clearly happened that made him snap. Even Shiro’s patience wasn’t limitless—he occasionally still succumbed to bursts of anger when he was alone in his room.

That was the major difference between them. It happened to Shiro when no one was around, while Keith lashed out at the person closest to him. Keith still hadn’t learned to manage his anger, and they had to do something about it.

Finishing his shower and getting dressed, Shiro found Keith sitting on a bench against the mirrors. He motioned for him to follow, knowing all too well that Keith would do it without him checking. They navigated the empty halls together, taking the twists and turns that led to Shiro’s tiny office.

“Go ahead and take a seat,” Shiro said. He didn’t need to give such a demand. Before the words had left his mouth, Keith was already sitting in his favorite chair.

They had switched it out some time ago, finding a more comfortable chair collecting dust in one of the supply closets. In the middle of the night, they dragged it clear across the campus until they made it to his office. It was comfortable, and Keith enjoyed sitting in it. He was the only one allowed to sit in it and Shiro kept his promise to make sure it stayed that way.

“Alright,” Keith said as he got comfortable. “Give me your worst. I’m ready for it.”

Shiro stepped out of the doorway, allowing the door to close behind him. “Well, where should we start, Keith? You have been good for so long. All of your teachers had come to me saying how much you had improved.” He took a seat on his desk, clasping his hands between his thighs. “What happened, Keith?”

He looked at Shiro then turned his attention back to his lap. Keith was quiet for a while and Shiro said nothing. Trying to prod Keith into giving an answer before he was ready would just cause him to lash out, and that was something they were trying to curb. Shiro had all the patience in the world for Keith.

“Pinkman started talking shit again.”

Shiro sighed, bowing his head. Pinkman was just _one_ source of annoyance for Keith. So far, they had succeeded in stopping the torment, but it was clear that Pinkman slipped through on occasion. Shiro always urged Keith to walk away from him if he tried anything. Whatever Pinkman said wasn’t worth him being booted from the Garrison.

“Keith, whatever he said about you—”

“He was talking about you,” Keith corrected.

Shiro raised his head and stared at Keith. He still refused to look at him, keeping his eyes trained to his lap. It was completely unexpected. Usually when Pinkman antagonized Keith, it was always directed towards him. Never before had Shiro head of Pinkman saying something about him, and he was surprised to see that Keith defended him. A curious part of Shiro wondered what was said.

Keith snorted. “Pinkman likes to talk shit a lot—about things he doesn’t know about and things he _thinks_ he does. He runs his mouth 24/7 and I’m good at ignoring him. … I listen to what you say and calm myself with the self-hypnosis thing… The moment he said something bad about you, it all crumbled before me and I lost my hold.”

By now, he was used to seeing an emotional side of Keith. Right now, he was fragile, and the wrong movement or sound would break him—Keith would close up, and Shiro would have to try and pry the information out of him later. Shiro could only wait and gauge when the right moment was to speak.

It took some time, but he saw Keith lean back slightly in his chair—a tiny indicator that he wasn’t on the cusp of another outburst. Gently, Shiro asked, “What did he say, Keith?”

“Mm…” Keith muttered. He hunched over and ran his fingers through his hair. “I don’t want to talk about it. He just… said some really disgusting things about you…”

That only served to fuel Shiro’s curiosity more, but he respected Keith’s decision. “Understandable. I won’t push for details, Keith.”

“Thank you.”

Even with Keith’s reluctance, he could guess what happened. Shiro had been Keith’s mentor for a while now, and the other cadets had noticed. It wasn’t a secret and they weren’t keeping it as one. Though most didn’t acknowledge it, a few cadets had become jealous that Keith was receiving special treatment. Unluckily, it made him a target amongst his fellow cadets.

Shiro had to admit, though—he wondered what Pinkman could have said to get Keith so riled up. After all, he had been doing better and Shiro (along with a few other commanders) had seen it.

“Keith… I know you’re reluctant to do this, but perhaps it’s time we talk to Commander Montgomery,” Shiro said. He could see how Keith stiffened in his seat.

It was their last resort.

They had talked thoroughly about it until Keith grudgingly agreed that, if they couldn’t solve his problems on their own, he would speak to a counselor. But every time Shiro brought her up, Keith pleaded with him to not make him go—promising that he could do better, that he would have more success with Shiro than another instructor.

And that was the problem—though Shiro knew that Montgomery could help Keith better than he could, Keith wasn’t a fan of opening up around other people. So many people had given up and abandoned him—other lieutenants and commanders, his own mother and his own father. People who shouldn’t have done so abandoned Keith without a second thought. Montgomery would have a much more difficult time with him than with Shiro.

“We don’t have any other options, Keith. Hypnosis was meant to help, but it’s clear—”

“I’ll do it.”

Shiro was stunned. He stared at Keith, his mouth hanging open. “I beg your pardon?”

Keith sighed and sat up. Shiro could see it written all over his face. He was tired—tired of always being in trouble and being unable to live up to everyone’s expectations.

Shiro hadn’t seen that hopeless expression since he first agreed to work with Keith—Keith always kept going, no matter how many times a strategy to manage his anger failed, he would come back and try the next one. In that, Shiro saw a pillar of strength.

“I’ll let Commander Montgomery hypnotize me. If you think that it’ll work Shiro and I stop… being _this_ way, then I’ll do it.”

Something twanged in Shiro’s heart. He knew that going to Montgomery was the right choice—Keith’s issues weren’t improving fast enough and he knew that she could fix them. It was the reason he had adopted a new strategy; over the last few weeks, while Keith was under, he gently suggested that it would be a good idea to go to her, that she would be more effective than Shiro.  It wasn’t Keith’s fault he wasn’t as good as Montgomery - he just wanted to ensure Keith got the best treatment possible. They had made great strides, but they could go further if someone more experienced was hypnotizing him.

Now that Keith had finally agreed, Shiro wasn’t sure he made the right decision. Keith looked so broken - he wanted to scoop Keith up and hold him close. Never in his life did he ever want to see Keith like this again.

“Okay,” Shiro said. “I’ll make an appointment with Commander Montgomery and we can get you started.”

“Alright…”

Shiro gripped the edge of his desk and drummed his fingers against the wood. Things felt tense between them. He didn’t want them to end the meeting on a sour note. It would damage his relationship with Keith.

“Hey…” Shiro smiled when Keith looked at him. “Why don’t we get out of here and have fun in town for a while? Just me and you, no Garrison people following our every move.”

Keith was in an utter state of disbelief. His eyes darted around Shiro’s office as if he was looking for a hidden camera. After confirmed that it wasn’t some elaborate prank, he asked, “Are you serious?”

“Yeah, why not?” Shiro pushed off his desk and moved his hands to his blazer. He undid the clasps and pulled it off his shoulder, tossing it over his desk. “Get into some civvies and I’ll meet you at parking block B—”

“Make it parking block D,” Keith interrupted, standing up from his seat. He ran his fingers through his short hair and Shiro’s breath caught, mesmerized by the deep hue of Keith’s eyes. “I want to show you my hoverbike.”

Shiro knew that Keith had been working on saving up on one, but he had no idea that he finally got it. He was proud of him. After all that he had been through, Keith deserved a win like this. “Alright. I’ll meet you there in half an hour.”

It felt like he had been so long since he had last seen Keith smile. His smile was warm enough to melt heavily falling snow and it touched something deep in Shiro.

When Keith left, Shiro wondered when he had started to _like_ Keith.

* * *

“I’m nervous…”

Shiro moved his hand to grip Keith’s. He was mere inches away from doing so when he changed his mind. The hallway wasn’t full, but he didn’t want to draw any unnecessary attention to them. Besides, he wasn’t sure the gesture would be appreciated. Just because Shiro realized he _liked_ Keith didn’t give him the right to initiate anything. He berated himself—before that day, and before he realized he liked Keith, Shiro wouldn’t have had a problem grabbing his hand.

Now things were different.

Instead, he raised his hand higher and squeezed Keith’s shoulder. “It’ll be fine, Keith,” Shiro assured. “Commander Montgomery is kind, and she knows what she’s doing. I’ve talked to her about our situation—she understands that this was our last resort and she’s not here to judge you for it. Just remember that I’ve been through this before. There’s nothing wrong with admitting you need help.”

Keith snorted. “That helps, but hardly enough.” He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “Let’s just… I want to get this over with.”

On cue, Montgomery stepped out of her office, smiling at them. “Keith, Shiro. I’m glad that you two could make it on time.”

“We wouldn’t have missed it, Commander Montgomery,” Shiro said, fixing his hat. He placed a hand on Keith’s lower back, gentling urging him to step into Montgomery’s office. Keith showed a little resistance before finally doing so. “Thank you for taking us on such short notice.”

“You’re absolutely welcome, Shiro,” Montgomery said. She stepped away from the doors, allowing them to close behind her. “It’s nice to meet you, Keith. Shiro’s told me so much about you.” She held her hand out for him to shake. “He’s very proud of you.”

From the corner of his eye, Shiro could see Keith blushing from the compliment. He hadn’t expected for Montgomery to say that. Either she used it as a way to motivate Keith to do better or she was simply teasing, but Shiro couldn’t be sure which.

Keith was hesitant to shake her hand but did so without any prompting from Shiro. “Thank you for meeting with me. … I’ll try not to be too much trouble for you.”

Montgomery laughed. “Please, Keith. You won’t be any trouble at all. Please, have a seat.” She sat down in the chair across from Keith while him and Shiro sat in her other chairs. “My whole purpose here in Galaxy Garrison is to help students push through their barriers and become the best they can be. I’m sure you’re aware that Shiro was in that same chair just a few short years ago.”

“I’ve been told,” Keith muttered.

She didn’t seem bothered by how quiet Keith was. “I’ve been told that Shiro’s been working with you to try and manage your anger, and that you haven’t had that much luck. Shiro also told me that you’re interested in seeing if hypnotism works for you as well as it had with him?”

Keith mutely nodded his head. Shiro didn’t push him to use his words. It was a miracle that they managed to arrange for this session.

“I’ll be doing the same thing I did on him to you. I’m sure you’re aware that this won’t work if you don’t _believe_ or _want_ it to work. You understand that, right?” At Keith’s nod, Montgomery smiled. “Good. Now, let’s get started, shall we?”

For Shiro, it was strange being on this side of things. Obviously, he couldn’t witness his own hypnosis session and didn’t remember much of what happened. However, once the music played, he instantly relaxed, sinking in his seat. Montgomery’s voice was calming and sounded far away. Often, Shiro would look over to Keith just to keep an eye on him.

It seemed that he was struggling to accept Montgomery’s suggestions, fidgeting in his seat. Shiro’s worry returned, but it was muffled the more Montgomery continued to speak. He was confused, wondering why it wasn’t working. Shiro watched carefully as Montgomery wandered behind Keith and squeezed the back of his head.

Seeing this had Shiro’s worry skyrocketing and he almost jumped out of his seat. Montgomery held a hand out to him, soothing Shiro with her voice. It was difficult to obey, but as she spoke to him more, Shiro found himself relaxing in his seat again. His worry was muffled, hidden behind a hazy veil. He still kept staring at Keith as Montgomery continued to talk him through it, relaxing more and more throughout the session.

The music stopped playing, Montgomery’s voice easing Keith and himself back to a more conscious state.

Shiro blinked and sat up straight. He looked over to Keith, finding him in the same position he was when he went through it himself. He looked just as confused, too, looking around the room and wondering what had happened.

“How do feel, Keith?” Montgomery asked, before Shiro had the chance.

Keith rolled his shoulders and stared down at his lap. “I feel… refreshed, I guess? Is that… Are we still—”

“Don’t worry about it for now, Keith,” Montgomery said. “Why don’t you go and get something to eat in the mess hall? You must be hungry.”

Keith still didn’t look convinced and Shiro couldn’t blame him. He smiled when Keith turned to look at him. “It’s best to listen to her. I was just as confused after my first session with her.” Shiro was the first to stand up from his seat. He offered his hand to Keith and held it firmly when their hands were clasped together.

Shiro heaved Keith out of his seat and led him to Montgomery’s door.

“Wait a moment, Shiro,” Montgomery called out to him.

Shiro wasn’t surprised to be held back—Montgomery sometimes asked him to pass a message along to Iverson or another commander after their sessions. Shiro could be the occasional messenger boy when they needed him to be.

“Meet me in the mess hall. I’ll be there shortly,” Shiro assured Keith. Keith still looked a bit confused, but he turned and began walking. Neither Montgomery or Shiro spoke until Keith was well down the hall and out of sight. Shiro turned to Montgomery, clasping his hands behind his back. “What can I do for you, Commander?”

Montgomery laughed. “There’s no need for you to be so formal. I’m impressed with the work you did - even without formal training, your sessions with him were very effective. That said, I ask that you refrain from trying to provide psychological care for other cadets in the future.” Shiro opened his mouth to apologize but she held up her hand. “You did good work, and you’re not in trouble. Just next time ask me for help a bit earlier, alright?”

Shiro quickly nodded. “Of course.”

“Great,” she continued, “as requested, his triggers are the same as yours are - though admittedly I thought that was a bit of an odd request. Still, I think that with several sessions, he shouldn’t have a problem now in managing his anger. I predict that he’ll have the same results as you did back then.”

Shiro scrunched his nose up in thought. He hadn’t recalled asking for anything specific from Montgomery. What he remembered asking of her was to help place triggers in Keith’s subconscious so that he’d have better control over his anger. Shiro would have agreed with whatever Montgomery thought was best for Keith

Just as he opened his mouth to ask what she meant, a calm feeling washed over Shiro. It relaxed him further with each slow breath he took in. “I understand, Commander. Thank you for all of your help.”

“It was my pleasure. Have a good lunch, Shiro.”

 

 

 

 

Shiro watched with bated breath as he viewed the big screen.

Keith didn’t know that he was here, and Shiro intended to keep it that way. Today they would find out if Montgomery’s hypnotism had worked. Shiro couldn’t recall what she had said to Keith during their shared session, but if it was anything like after his own first session, Keith would discover if it worked for him soon enough.

Keith was inside the simulation pod right now, piloting himself and his team through a dangerous asteroid field. He was on a different level than Shiro when he was his age, the instructors had cracked the difficulty up. The layout of the course was also changed—Shiro secretly suspected that it was to make sure that he didn’t give Keith any hints. After all, he knew the simulations like the back of his hand. If he wanted to, he could tell Keith all that he needed to know and how to pass the standard test.

Neither of them would have ever done that, though. Shiro believed in Keith—believed in his raw talent and instincts to get him through this mission.

At every wrong turn or near accident that happened to Keith, Shiro sucked in a breath and held it. He knew that Iverson was watching him as much as he was watching Keith. It was dangerous to show that he had this much affection and care to a cadet, especially if precautions were taken to prevent cheating as a result of it, but he didn’t care. Shiro cared for Keith and wanted him to succeed.

Shiro believed in him.

When Keith passed the drop off zone and ended the simulation, Shiro finally released the breath he had been holding. He hunched over, bracing his hands on the control panel in front of him. Keith had done it and Shiro couldn’t be prouder of him. He lifted his head just in time to see Keith stepping out of the sim-pod. Cadets crowded him, applauding him and his team for a job well done.

Shiro would have loved to be down there, holding Keith close and congratulating him. Though he knew better than to run down there and cause a scene, he wanted to. The moment they were alone together would be a different story—Shiro planned on grabbing Keith and holding him close until embarrassment replaced pride.

A hand dropped on Shiro’s shoulder and squeezed. Iverson was next to him, a rare smile on his face. “You did good, Shiro. You saw a cadet that needed help and you didn’t give up on him. I’m proud of what you accomplished together.”

That warm feeling spread throughout Shiro and he could feel himself beaming with pride. He was happy he had done the right thing, and in doing so had pleased Iverson and other commanders. Pleasing his commanders always made him happy and he felt good about it. It didn’t matter how high he raised in the rank, Shiro found no greater joy than pleasing them all.

Straightening his pose, Shiro smiled at Iverson. “Thank you, sir. I’m glad I was able to help you see the potential that Keith has.”

“We aren’t done yet, are we?”

Shiro shook his head. “We still need to see how he handles confrontation from his fellow cadets. Commander Montgomery said that she had several follow-up sessions with Keith and believes that he can make the self-hypnosis work for him.”

From up in the box, Shiro could see someone pushing through the crowd. They didn’t look like anyone Shiro had seen before and he didn’t look ready to congratulate Keith, either. This was a test; one look at Iverson confirmed it. Shiro clasped his hands behind his back in a tight grip, ready to watch the scene unfold.

The new student shoved Keith against the simulation pod, and Shiro jumped. He took a step back from the windows, taking a step towards the doors to help Keith. One look from Iverson stopped him from doing so. He slowly turned back to watch the scene below. All Shiro could do was watch and see what would happen.

The cadet seemed to be screaming in Keith’s face, waving his arms above his head as he spoke. Keith’s face twisted into something resembling confusion, and then anger. Shiro feared that this was where all their hard work crumbled before them. Keith would shout, throw a punch, and then he’d be on the next bus off the Garrison compound.

But Keith surprised Shiro.

Keith closed his eyes, his shoulders rising and falling with a deep breath that he soon let out. He opened them again, said something to the other cadet, then walked around him. And that was the end of it.

Iverson squeezed Shiro’s shoulder again before leaving the viewing box. Shiro stood there, frozen in place. There were no words he could use to describe all that he was feeling. Pride, relief, the urge to see Keith right now.

Before any commander could congratulate him and hold him up, Shiro bolted from the view box. The sound of his boots smacking against the tilted floor echoed in the halls. It didn’t matter that the din of student’s voices was louder, the tap-tap against the floor was the only thing he could hear. He had tunnel vision and it focused on Keith and _only Keith._

Navigating the halls was easy—looking for Keith was not. He left the area near the training pods, and so Shiro searched. After some time, he had almost exhausted all his options on where Keith would hide from the crowd. The only place he hadn’t checked was his bedroom and the parking lot where his hoverbike was parked. And the roof. Shiro almost smacked himself for forgetting the roof.

He took long leaps up the stairs until he finally burst open the door. Keith sat at the edge, staring out at the sunset. It had just started falling behind the faraway cliffs, casting a shadow across the desert. Shiro felt his heart hammering in his chest as he approached the cadet—the cadet he had been mentoring for months now. Being around him was easy, or it had been easy before. But it had become increasingly difficult once Shiro realized his feelings for him.

“Shouldn’t you be downstairs, enjoying the attention from all your adoring classmates and commanders?” Shiro asked as he approached Keith. He faltered in his walk, his heart ramming against his ribs when Keith smiled.

“You know I can’t handle things like that, Shiro,” Keith answered. He moved aside to give Shiro some room to sit. “I’d rather sit alone and bask in my victory.”

Shiro smiled. “And how are you feeling now?”

With a shout, Keith leaned forward and buried his face in his hands. “Amazing! Everything worked in the simulation like I wanted it to. And when that cadet came by to irritate me? I did exactly as you said—I closed my eyes, thought about that safe place, and said that chant you’re always saying. All the anger I felt for him just… disappeared like it was nothing.”

“I’m glad it worked for you.” Shiro raised a hand and gripped Keith’s shoulder. “You did well. Even Iverson was impressed with what you accomplished.”

Keith beamed, before lunging forward. He wrapped his arms around Shiro’s waist and held him tightly. The touch warmed Shiro to his very core. This was better than the warmth he felt when he obeyed his commanders. It hummed inside him, curling in his chest and flowing through his body. Shiro loved the feeling—he loved making Keith smile like that.

Shiro carefully wrapped his arms around Keith’s waist, holding him closer. He couldn’t recall the last time he felt this happy. If died in that moment, he would be able to die happily.

“Thank you,” Keith muttered into Shiro’s chest. “Thank you for not giving up on me…”

He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath of Keith’s scent—smoke and burning wood, like a bonfire. “You’re welcome. I could never give up on you, Keith. _Never.”_

They pulled apart and Shiro could _feel_ Keith’s breath on his mouth. He felt himself inching closer, taking in the unnatural hue of Keith’s eyes. Shiro could lose himself for _hours_ in Keith’s eyes—he realized how beautiful they were after truly _noticing_ Keith.

Maybe he imagined the slightest brush of their lips before Keith pulled away from him. It could hardly be called a kiss. Shiro didn’t know what he could call it and didn’t dare to ask. He feared what Keith would say.

They pulled further apart until their hands were in their laps. Though he would never ask, Shiro knew he would remember this moment, and wish that he had kissed Keith.

Breaking himself out of his thoughts, Shiro moved so that he could look in Keith’s face. “Hey, let’s get you something to eat. The mess is closing soon. Are you hungry?”

Keith grinned. “I’m _starving.”_

“Then let’s go before all the good food is gone.”

* * *

The harsh ringing of Garrison’s bell broke Shiro from his train of thought. Shiro turned away from the board, witnessing his students preparing to run out of the room. If he was Iverson, he would have held them just to make a point about waiting to be dismissed, but they had worked hard today.

“All right, everyone, get out of here,” Shiro said, motioning towards the door. The classroom immediately erupted into a clamor of noise as the students put away their belongings. “And remember that you have Commander Dos Santos tomorrow! He’ll want to make sure that you guys covered this!”

They were gone before Shiro could finish speaking.

He sighed and rubbed a hand down his face. “Don’t come crying to me when you realize you should have studied more…”

Shiro turned around and grabbed an eraser. Though there wasn’t much, he wiped down the erase board, clearing up all his words and formulas for the next teacher. It was cathartic, and he didn’t have anywhere else he needed to be. All Shiro had to do now was score some tests and get them handed into one of the commanders. An easy day for him.

“How has teaching classes been going?”

He turned, finding Iverson waiting by the door. Shiro put down his eraser and saluted to him. “They’re fine. The first-year cadets are getting better and better at focusing, but sometimes they still don’t understand the amount of work these classes require. It seems like a few believe they’ll get by on just their talent and luck. They’ll make it, though; I know they will.”

Iverson chuckled. “You don’t give up on anything, do you?”

“I try not to, sir.”

“Good.” Iverson cleared his throat. “We haven’t had a chance to celebrate your victory with Keith in. That’s something we should change tonight. I expect you at my personal quarters at 2200 hours. We’ll drink, we’ll celebrate, and then we’ll discuss what will happen to Keith next.”

“Of course, sir,” Shiro replied. “I’ll be there on time.”

“Ah… and bring Keith with you,” Iverson said before he left. “Since it’s about him, he might as well be around to hear what we have to say about his future.”

That was a new request.

Whenever Iverson wanted to talk, it was only the two of them. The only other time he was able to address senior commanders was during a staff meeting. His solo meetings with Iverson were special—a privilege other lieutenants and cadets didn’t get, and they were something Shiro looked forward to. Shiro felt a slight bit of envy having to share his time with Keith.

He shoved the feeling away quickly. This was about Keith’s future, something they both worked hard to protect.

“I’ll bring him, sir,” Shiro assured. “We’ll be there on time and ready for what you want to discuss.”

“Good. See you tonight.”

* * *

“It’s a trap.”

Shiro rolled his eyes. He snatched the ball from the air, moments away from it landing in the basket. Keith wouldn’t be scoring on him today. “Keith, he just wants to talk to you—to us. It’s not like he’s going to bake us into a chicken pot pie and serve us in the mess hall.”

Keith hummed. “ _Sheith Pot Pie._ It’s got a nice ring to it.”

He stared at Keith, trapping the basketball between his arm and his hip. “Did you just _combine_ our names together?”

“Well, _Sheith_ , Shiro. I didn’t think you would hate it that much.”

If Shiro wasn’t so entranced by Keith, he would have tossed the ball at his beautiful face. Instead, he dribbled it a few times, avoided Keith’s grabby hands, and tossed the ball into the basket. Nothing but net.

“Keith, you’ll be fine. When I had issues controlling my anger, Iverson was one of the commanders that mentored me to be better. It seems to me that he only wants to congratulate you on your progress.” Shiro walked up to him and clapped him on the shoulder. “I promise you that we will be fine. I trust him.”

Keith still didn’t look convinced. His face twisted into a variety of different expressions before he finally succumbed. “Alright. He didn’t seem supportive when you decided to mentor me, but if you trust him, Shiro, then… I’ll go with you. But don’t expect me to plaster a fake smile on my face and pretend to enjoy it.”

Shiro smiled. “Keith—”

“Like that! That’s the smile!”

 

 

 

 

Keith didn’t go easily to Iverson’s room.

In fact, Keith had planned on skipping the meeting with Iverson and hiding in the Garrison. Unfortunately for him, Shiro knew all his hiding spots. If he had the clearance to leave the Garrison without permission, Shiro was sure that he would have hidden somewhere in the desert. Then he _really_ wouldn’t have been able to find him.

Shiro ran a hand through Keith’s slicked back hair. “This is a good look for you.”

Keith fidgeted, and re-adjusted his hair, returning it to look a _little_ disheveled. “It took me a while to get it to look orderly while still _me._ Don’t ruin it.”

He chuckled. “Don’t act so stiff, Keith. This is just like a party with three people.”

“That’s usually a crowd.”

When they reached Iverson’s door, Shiro gave Keith a playful shove. He watched as Keith stumbled for a moment before straightening himself out. He was back at Shiro’s side as he raised a hand to knock on the door. Only a moment passed before the doors slid open. It took Keith a moment to process that he was seeing Iverson in his civvies—it was weird. Shiro smiled at Keith’s confused look—he felt the same way at one point.

“Good evening, Commander,” Shiro greeted. “I hope we’re not too late.”

“I’ve never known you as someone to be _late,_ Shiro.” Commander Iverson stepped aside, letting Shiro and Keith step into his room. “Go ahead and take a seat. I’ll be with you both shortly.”

Shiro placed a hand on Keith’s lower back, directing him to the circle of chairs and coffee table. There were a few things set out for them to snack on, but neither of them seemed interested in them. Between Shiro’s concern for Keith, and Keith’s concern for his future, snacks were the last thing on their minds.

Keith sat down on one of the plush chairs and slumped in his seat. Shiro almost made a comment about being presentable in front of a commanding officer, but he let it slide. He knew Keith was nervous—he was nervous, himself. Keith had a bright future ahead of him and whatever plans they set for him today would decide his future.

“What are you doing?” Keith whispered.

Instead, Shiro shrugged his shoulders and pulled his tank top out of his pants. He fiddled with the hem before answering, “It’s hot in here.”

“Doesn’t feel that way to me, especially not enough to take my _shirt_ off.”

“The air conditioner’s busted and there’s no harm in it. Iverson’s never minded it before.”

“Just a few minutes ago, you were complaining about me not having a pristine uniform.”

Shiro thought about it for a moment then shrugged. Keith was right—it was important that they were properly in uniform, but Iverson had said… something? It probably wasn’t important, he told himself. Shiro felt hot, though. His fingers twitched and itched to take off his pants that felt more constricting with every passing second. But he supposed that if Keith could endure the heat, he could as well.

After all, they were here for Keith, not himself.

“Don’t worry about it,” Shiro answered. He pretended not to notice Keith’s flushed cheeks.

Iverson returned with a decanter of whiskey and two glasses filled with ice. He placed them down and filled them both up, sliding one closer to Shiro. Shiro remembered how he was reluctant to drink around Iverson in the beginning, but now he always took the drink offered to him. The liquid burned his throat, but it warmed his stomach the moment it hit. Iverson told him that it was an acquired taste, and he was right—the warmth wasn’t an unpleasant feeling. He could feel Keith’s stare on him, a million questions hidden in his eyes.

They were silent for some time. The only sound in the room was the clinking of ice in the glasses that Shiro and Iverson drank from. Keith didn’t say anything and remained quiet. Shiro wondered when he would finally speak up to get things rolling. While he was fine with the silence and drinking, it would only be a matter of time before Keith got fed up with it all. There was only so much of a “party” that he could handle.

Shiro wondered if this was some sort of test, Iverson checking how long it would take for Keith to snap.

He was just finishing his first glass when Keith finally spoke out.

Hunching over in his seat, Keith braced his arms on his legs and spoke, “Okay, what the hell are we doing here? When are we going to talk about my ‘future’?”

Shiro choked on the ice of his drink. _“Keith.”_

He looked to Shiro, his face twisted into a frown. “Shiro, we’ve been here for ten minutes, no one has said anything, and all we’ve managed to do is get _you_ half naked and tipsy.”

Shiro frowned. “I’m not tipsy—”

“Regardless, Commander Iverson, what do plan on doing with me now that I’ve passed your expectations?” Keith asked, turning his attention back to their acting commander. “I know you weren’t expecting much out of me, even with Shiro’s mentorship.” He leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms. “I think I deserve to know what you have planned for me.”

Shiro had never been so mortified in his life. Shiro knew that Keith never had the _highest_ respect for Commander Iverson (something he never quite understood), but he never expected for things to happen like this. He couldn’t recall a time where a _cadet_ had talked to Iverson in such a way. In fact, Shiro couldn’t think of a _commander_ who talked like that to Iverson. Shiro wished he could sink into his chair and disappear

“Commander Iverson, I know Keith—”

Iverson raised his hand and Shiro instantly snapped his mouth shut. Keith’s comment could undo everything—if Iverson wished, he could have him on the next bus out of here. Shiro could feel the worry twisting in his gut.

“You seem angry, Keith,” Iverson said evenly. He didn’t seem angry and Shiro wasn’t sure if that should worry him or not.

“Can you blame me?”

Iverson shook his head. He placed his empty glass on the table and stood up. Shiro watched him walk across the room to his liquor cabinet. Shiro hoped that Iverson would grab something else for them. Whiskey always hit Shiro hard, and he usually tried to avoid it while drinking with Iverson. Of course, that didn’t stop him from taking the offered glass every time.

Something clicked in the room and soft piano music filled the air.

As if he was wrapped in a blanket fresh from the dryer, Shiro relaxed. He tilted his head back and sighed up to the ceiling. His lungs filled with air whenever the music reached a crescendo and he exhaled as it descended. Shiro could feel every muscle in his body relaxing one by one. Before he knew it, his body was loose, and he was leaning back in the plush seat. It felt nice.

Opening his eyes, Shiro turned his hazy attention to Keith. Even Keith seemed to be relaxing, but it looked like he was fighting it at first. His body was still stiff, but Shiro could see his eyelids starting to droop. It was only a slight bit of movement, but he could see Keith slowly sinking back in his seat until he was slumped in his seat again. His arms were crossed along his chest, but Shiro could tell that he was relaxed.

He watched Keith’s chest as it rose and fell with even breaths. Shiro hardly noticed that it was similar to his own—expanding at the crescendo, deflating on the descent. Keith was as calm as Shiro, even if he may or may not have wanted to be. It was the music, Shiro knew. It had a calming effect on them both that eased whatever tension and anger they were feeling away.

Even with all that knowledge, Shiro couldn’t bring himself to worry. With all that they’ve done to get where they were—in both his own career as much as Keith’s—they deserved a chance to sit back and relax. What was the harm? They were safe with Commander Iverson and within the Garrison.

He pressed his back against his chair and sighed softly. Shiro closed his eyes again as Iverson walked behind him. A firm hand massaged at his neck, working out the kinks and knots that had appeared over the weeks. A sigh escaped his lips with each tension that continue to slip from him like water. Iverson’s hand ran further up his neck, squeezing at the base of his skull like he had done plenty of times before.

Shiro’s head slumped forward, hanging limply in front of him. He was only vaguely aware of Iverson walking away from him, Keith’s soft sigh reaching his dull hearing.

More footsteps and Iverson returned to Shiro’s side. His breath was hot against his neck and a shudder wracked Shiro’s body. A pleasant warm, a tiny fire erupted in his stomach—something far more potent than the alcohol. Shiro knew what was coming—the fire would consume him soon, and he would gladly melt in its heat.

“That’s right, Shiro,” Iverson said, his voice low. “You’ve done so well these last few weeks. You’ve listened to your commander’s orders and it felt good, didn’t it?”

“Yes…” Shiro muttered his answer. Just answering Iverson’s question added the tiniest drop of fuel to the fire. It wasn’t blazing yet, but it would in a matter of time.

Iverson’s knuckles brushed against Shiro’s face and he leaned into the touch. It felt cold and nice against his heated flesh. “You would do anything your commander’s asked of you, wouldn’t you? You’d listen to everything I would to tell you to do, right? No questions asked?”

Shiro nodded his head, licking his dry lips. “No questions asked…”

“Good. That’s what I like to hear, Shiro.”

The warmth spread through him as the tiniest trickle. Shiro fidgeted in his seat, wishing he could feel more of it.

“I want you to do something for me, Shiro. When I count to five, you’re going to be awake, but still in your trance. This is just like every other time you’ve been with me. However, when you wake up during your trance, you’re going to talk to Keith. You need to convince him of something important. You’re going to talk to him, just like you did when he convinced him to go to Montgomery. Do you understand, Shiro?”

He nodded his head, the words swirling around in his subconscious. “Yes, sir…”

“You’re going to suggest to Keith that, while he’s in this room that he enjoys listening to you—that he finds pleasure from hearing your voice and following your orders. You’ll explain that he enjoys your touch and finds pleasure in it. Outside of it, he’ll act as he normally would, but we want to make sure that he enjoys himself in our sessions, just like you do. Is that clear?”

Shiro took in a shuddering breath. This didn’t feel right. He knew that Keith would be safe with him and Iverson, but Shiro didn’t like the idea of giving him any suggestions. The image of Keith’s dejected face after he agreed to see Montgomery flooded his mind. It felt wrong and Shiro didn’t understand why.

Just as importantly, there was the tiniest bit of jealousy that grew in the pit of Shiro’s stomach. Iverson had said that they needed to make sure Keith enjoyed their sessions, too. That meant Keith would be here, with them, again. Shiro knew his sessions with Iverson were special—his one-on-one time with Iverson was a privilege. Why did Keith need to be part of his sessions?

“Commander Iverson… I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Shiro licked his lips. “Aren’t I enough for you? Don’t you like it when you’re with me…?”

Iverson cooed softly. The back of his hand brushed against Shiro’s cheek, moving down to his neck and back up. “You’re always more than enough for me, Shiro. But wouldn’t it be nice to have Keith with us?”

Seeing that Shiro still hesitated and frowned, Iverson switched tactics, “You care about Keith, don’t you, Shiro?”

“Yes,” Shiro answered instantly.

“Then doesn’t he deserve to feel good, too? Hasn’t he worked hard for you? Doesn’t he deserve some pleasure?”

Shiro chewed on his lip. That made sense, Keith did deserve a reward. “Yes… Yes, sir…”

“Good, Shiro. So, help him—give him the opportunity to feel that pleasure you love so much. Let Keith know that he enjoys your touch and finds pleasure while he’s in this room. While he’s outside, he’ll be normal. Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir…”

“Good, Shiro. When I count five and snap my fingers, you’ll open your eyes, your subconscious fully taking over. One… Two… Three… Four… Five…”

Shiro opened his eyes when Iverson snapped and raised his head. Heat was spreading through him, enough for him to feel the effects of Iverson’s words and his commands. He turned his attention to Keith, finding him still slumped in his chair. He looked so peaceful like that, calm and completely different from the stoic cadet he usually was. Iverson brushed his knuckles along Shiro’s cheek again, silently urging him on.

He rose from his seat and knelt beside Keith’s chair. Shiro carefully raised a hand and put it on Keith’s bicep. “Keith, can you hear me? Can you hear my voice?”

Keith’s head nodded slightly. “Yes…”

“Good,” Shiro said. “Continue to listen to the music and relax more, Keith. Take in a deep breath as the music reaches a crescendo and exhale as it descends. That’s right. You’re doing good, Keith. You’ll feel yourself falling deeper and deeper into your trance, relaxing more with every breath you let out.”

He watched Keith as be breathed in and out, relaxing with every breath and every note of music that played.  Shiro rubbed his bicep in a comforting way, gently easing him through the process.

“You should be completely relaxed now, Keith. You should feel light and loose while you’re in this trance. Are you completely relaxed, Keith?”

“Yes…”

“Good. You enjoy hearing my voice, don’t you, Keith? Do you like listening to my commands and following them? You feel nice and warm whenever you do, right?”

Keith nodded his head. “I do…”

“That’s good,” Shiro said. “I’m glad that you like hearing my voice. From now on, while you’re in this trance, you’ll start to feel sexual pleasure whenever you hear it. While you’re in a deep trance and you hear my voice, your body will react sexually. Do you understand?”

Already Keith’s body was reacting to Shiro’s words. He squirmed in his seat and his mouth opened slightly. “I… I understand…”

“Good. You’re doing so good, Keith.” Shiro knew that hearing the praise alone would fill Keith up with a wonderful warmth. He was feeling it himself from following Iverson’s orders. “At the count of five, I’m going to snap my fingers and you’re going to open your eyes. You’re going to open your eyes, but you’ll still be deep in a trance. Do you hear me, Keith? Do you understand what I just said?”

“Yes…”

“Good. I’m glad to hear that.” Shiro took in a deep breath. “One… Two… Three… Four… Five…”

He snapped his fingers. Keith opened his eyes. They darted around the room, taking everything in. His conscious mind was still very much asleep, unaware of what was happening. Or what was about to happen.

“Good job, Keith,” Shiro said, moving his hand to Keith’s shoulder. “You did good and I’m proud of you.”

Keith squirmed again, darting his gaze away from Shiro. It was a clear sign that Shiro’s voice was having the desired effect, that he had implemented the suggestions into Keith’s subconscious correctly.

“I’m proud of you both,” Iverson finally spoke. It was almost possible to forget that he was even there. Almost. “Go on and stand up, Shiro. Stand up and start taking the rest of your clothes off.”

Shiro rose to his feet and did as Iverson requested. He peeled off the tank top as he toed his boots off and pushed them to the side. His belt was next, and he dropped both his pants and his underwear down to the floor. As he stepped out of his puddle of clothes, he could feel Keith’s eyes on him, taking in on his appearance. Shiro couldn’t hide the shudder that wracked his body.

Iverson chuckled as he stepped closer. His hand rose and touched Shiro’s chest, massaging the muscle in the palm of his hand, before looking at Keith and giving it a possessive squeeze. “He’s checking you out, Shiro. He likes your body a lot. I wonder how many times he’s stared at you without you knowing. How many times do you think he’s fantasized about seeing you like this?” His thumb stroked over Shiro’s nipple and Shiro arched into the touch. “Are you a little bit curious about that?”

Shiro licked his lips. “Y-yes…”

“We’ll find out later.” Iverson stepped forward and pressed his mouth against Shiro’s neck, sinking his teeth into his skin.

Shiro gasped. His head fell to the side and a whimper fell from his mouth while Iverson still played with his chest and nipples, moving carefully so he didn't obstruct Keith’s view. He could feel his cock slowly hardening, pressing against Iverson’s thigh. Before he could grind against him, Iverson gripped his hip tightly, keeping him in place. The touch alone had Shiro moaning, trying harder and harder to grind his cock against his commander’s leg.

“We’ll have none of that now,” Iverson said into his ear. His hand ran up Shiro’s side until it reached his chest. With both hands, he toyed with Shiro’s chest. He tweaked his nipples and cupped the underside of his pecs. “Go ahead and be a good boy for me, Shiro. Climb onto the bed and present yourself to me.”

Without hesitation, Shiro stepped away from Iverson. He nearly ran to the bed and climbed on top of it, taking position with his ass up in the air. Shiro looked over his shoulder to stare at Iverson, silently beckoning him to come sooner.

Iverson was slow to approach him, though. When he reached the side of the bed, he grabbed Shiro’s ass cheeks and spread him open wide. Shiro clenched and whimpered, arching his back to push his ass further into Iverson’s hands. A thumb moved against his rim, teasing it in small circles.

“Tell Keith to come closer, Shiro,” Iverson ordered. “Tell him to come and see you at your most vulnerable.”

Shiro pressed his face into the bed. His heart hammered in his chest at Iverson’s demand. The words were caught in his throat and he couldn’t bring himself to utter them. He couldn’t say it, he just _couldn’t._

Iverson brought a hand down hard on his ass, though. It ripped a moan out of Shiro’s throat and he arched his back more, trying to push his rim harder against Iverson’s thumb. _“Tell_ him, Shiro,” Iverson ordered once more. “You fantasized about this, don’t you remember? Having Keith see you? This may be the only chance you get, Shiro—just say the word, and Keith will be able to see you—the real you.

“Isn’t that worth a little embarrassment?”

His fingers clenched the sheets, balling them up and pulling them closer to his body. “K-Keith… Come closer and see…”

Shiro couldn’t see Keith, but he could hear the creak of the chair and the sound of his boots against the floor. Keith was behind him now, staring at his twitching hole and how it was ready to swallow Iverson’s thumb raw. He shook when Iverson pressed his thumb further into Shiro’s ass, revealing how ready he was to be fucked open by a cock.

“He looks good, doesn’t he, Keith?” Iverson asked.

Keith didn’t answer. Shiro wasn’t sure if he was too mesmerized by what he was seeing or if he couldn’t find it in him to speak.

Iverson rubbed the pad of his thumb against Shiro’s walls. “It seems that our new companion only wants to respond to you, Shiro. Allow him to answer me. Let him know that it’s okay.”

Shiro shook his head, gasping into the sheets.

“I… I can’t…” he gasped out.

Iverson ran a hand along Shiro’s ass. “We’ve been over this, Shiro. Keith deserves a reward too. And if he listens to me as well, that just means another voice will give him pleasure. There’s nothing to worry about—do you really want to deny him?”

No, Keith didn’t deserve that. Shiro shuddered and pressed his cheek against the bed. He shook his head—he couldn’t trust himself to speak.

“Then tell him to answer me,” Iverson ordered.

“Y-you can answer him, Keith,” Shiro assured. “Go ahead and listen to what Iverson wants you to do and answer his questions. You’ll—” a moan stopped him when Iverson removed his thumb, “you’ll feel so good when you listen to him, too…”

Behind him, he could hear Keith shuffling around. “He looks… he looks good…”

“Do you want to see how greedy for cock your mentor is?” Iverson questioned. “Don’t you want to see how he looks when his ass is stuffed full.”

 _“Oh…”_ Shiro whimpered, burying his face into the balled-up sheets. If he’d been more aware, he would have been mortified by Iverson’s words. But his subconscious gleefully accepted them—it knew that dirty talk led to pleasure, and it ate it up like it was the sweetest treat from the mess hall.

“I-I want to see how he looks…” Keith answered after a moment.

“Go ahead and grab a chair. Pull it up close to the bed so that you can see.”

Shiro shifted to move when he heard Keith step away, but Iverson held him firmly in place.

“Don’t move,” Iverson said. “I’ll be right back. Hold your ass open for Keith to see.”

Iverson moved away from him and Shiro reached back to do what he was commanded, spreading his cheeks wide for Keith, and sighing as he was rewarded with another pulse of pleasure. Without moving, he couldn’t see Keith. He wanted to see what he looked like. He hoped, prayed, he’d see a hungry and lustful fire burning in those eyes. If only Shiro could move the _tiniest_ bit and he would be able to see him.

“Good boy, Shiro,” Iverson said as he returned. Those words alone burned throughout Shiro’s body, racking his body with a shudder. “You did good and you stayed in place.”

“I-I’m glad you’re happy, sir,” Shiro said, spreading his legs even more.

Slick fingers touched at his hole and he gasped. Shiro pressed his face further into the bed as Iverson pressed two slick fingers into him already, scissoring him open. It was too much too soon. While it wasn’t unlike anything they had done before, that was when they were alone. With Keith in the room, everything seemed more _intense,_ more _pleasurable_ because he knew he was being watched. Shiro knew that Keith was watching him, watching him as he was prepared to take Iverson’s cock.

“Look at how easily he takes my fingers, Keith,” Iverson said. A third finger slipped into Shiro and Iverson spread his fingers wide. “He’ll be ready for a nice big cock any second now. You should see how greedy he gets when he starts to get fucked good. Shiro starts moaning and begging like a horny slut.”

Shiro’s body shuddered. Iverson was right. Every time they fucked, Shiro called out for more, more, _more._ He could feel his dark eyes taking in every movement of Iverson’s hands, watching how Shiro’s walls clenched around the intrusion, desperate for more movement and friction.

He wondered how Keith would react when he watched Iverson start to fuck him. Shiro imagined it—Keith would get hard and shift in his seat, trying hard to hide his erection from them.

But they would both know. They would know, and they would continue to tease Keith until Iverson decided that he could join them.

Iverson’s fingers left him and Shiro gasped. It was so sudden, and his legs shook, nearly giving out on him. Iverson ran a slick hand along his ass. Shiro relaxed within seconds, his body used to the gesture—something good was coming.

“Turn around and face Keith, Shiro,” Iverson ordered. “I want him to see your face when you finally get a cock inside you.”

His face couldn’t get any redder if it tried. Shiro rose on his shaky arms and did as he was commanded. For a while, he managed to avoid looking Keith in the face. Some hidden part of him was afraid of what he might find. He imagined all the ways Keith would see him now, all the disgust and contempt he’d see there.

But when Shiro finally looked at Keith, he found that he was enraptured by what he saw. Dark eyes roamed up and down Shiro’s body, lingering on his cock and slowly moving up his flushed chest to his eyes—Keith couldn’t look away.

Iverson placed a hand on Shiro’s shoulder and pulled him back. His breath against Shiro’s ear racked his body with a shudder. “Isn’t it nice of him to stare at you like that, Shiro? Isn’t this what you’ve wanted or a while.” His free hand moved down the lean body and gripped the base of his cock. “Haven’t you always thought about Keith staring at you like he was ready to ravage you for _hours?”_

Shiro squeezed his eyes shut. “C-Commander Iverson—”

“What’s wrong, Shiro?” Iverson questioned. “Are you too afraid to be honest when Keith is watching you like this?” He pressed a kiss to Shiro’s temple. “Why don’t you tell him what you told me?”

He shook his head. Shiro couldn’t block out Iverson’s words, but he could at least deny him a command. No matter how intense the warm feeling would be when it finally coursed through him, it wasn’t worth this. So many things could change between him and Keith if Shiro admitted it to him. He couldn’t risk that, not after Shiro had finally gotten past Keith’s walls.

“I… I can’t…” Shiro muttered.

Iverson hummed. “Alright then. You take your time in telling him. I’m sure you’ll get the urge to do that before the night is over.” He ground his hips against Shiro’s ass, the rough material of his jeans chafing against him. “Are you ready to show him at least? Ready to show him how _needy_ you get?”

He nodded his head. _“Yes…”_

“Good boy,” Iverson said around a chuckle.

Shiro gasped as he was pushed forward on his hands and knees. He avoided looking at Keith for the moment, listening to Iverson as he unzipped his pants. Iverson’s cock pressed against Shiro’s hole and he arched his back. The tip alone had Shiro whimpering and shaking beneath Iverson’s hands. His hips were harshly gripped, keeping him from moving back and taking in his cock in one go.

Iverson wanted to go slow. It pulled a whine out of Shiro to know that he would be teased. He wondered if it was for show. When they were alone, Iverson never waited for long before plunging into him. Usually Iverson wanted a quick release, pinning Shiro down until he finally cummed in his ass.

Tonight was different and Shiro knew if it was because of Keith. With Keith here, Iverson was drawing everything out. He wanted Keith to see how his mentor looked as he was taken apart, piece by piece until he was just a shell of who he was.

 _“O-oh…”_ Shiro lowered his head as Iverson slowly pushed into him. A heavy hand ran through his hair and gripped it. His head was raised, and he stared right into Keith’s eyes. He didn’t look ashamed or disgusted by Shiro, as he had feared. Instead, he looked amazed, watching as Shiro took in all of Iverson’s cock.

“Do you like what you see, Keith? Doesn’t he look lovely taking a cock in his ass?” Iverson questioned. “Go ahead and answer the question. You can do that can’t you?”

Keith shifted in his seat, wrapped his arms around himself. He didn’t look uncomfortable, though. “… Shiro _does_ look lovely like this…”

Shiro let out a shuddering gasp as he clenched around Iverson’s cock, forcing a moan out of the older man.

“You liked that, didn’t you, Shiro.” Iverson stated. It was a fact. Even Shiro could feel his walls squeezing around Iverson’s cock under Keith’s gaze. “You like how Keith looks at you like this, don’t you?”

If Iverson wasn’t holding his head up, Shiro would have lowered it. Instead, he nodded his head slightly. “Yes… I like how Keith looks at me like this…”

“Good boy.” Iverson wrapped his arm around Shiro’s chest and pulled him up until they were flushed together. He used his knees to kick Shiro’s legs wider apart, giving Keith a better view of his cock disappearing into his ass. “Why don’t we give him a show, hm? Let’s show him just how slutty you can get.”

Shiro didn’t have the chance to process what he said. His jaw dropped open when Iverson pulled out and thrust back in just as hard. He reached back and dug his fingers on the back of Iverson’s head and his shoulder, trying to grab hold of something to ground himself. It did little to help. Iverson fucked him slow but hard, making sure he felt every inch of his cock and all his strength. Whatever sounds that spilled out of Shiro sounded broken and desperate. If he tried to form a coherent sentence, Iverson would fuck it out of him within seconds.

Keith’s eyes never left him. His gaze moved between staring at his cock and watching as Iverson’s cock moved in and out of him. Occasionally, he would look up and lock eyes with Shiro, but he would quickly avert his gaze. Shiro would see it, though, would see the fire that blazed in those purple irises. He wondered if Keith was thinking about joining him, perhaps rubbing their cocks together until they cummed.

Iverson moaned in his ear, pressing _deep_ into Shiro’s ass. “You tightened up again. What were you thinking about?”

Shiro licked his lips and closed his eyes. “I was thinking about Keith joining us…”

“Oh? You’d like that wouldn’t you?” Iverson asked. He didn’t wait for Shiro to give him an answer. “Keith, why don’t you come closer? I think Shiro would like it if you got a better look at what was happening to him.”

Shiro could see Keith’s Adam's apple bob as he swallowed. He stood up and placed a knee on the bed, but Iverson stopped him.

“Now, now. It would be a shame if you were clothed while Shiro was nude. Go on and take your clothes off, Keith. You’re safe here. Remember that.”

Keith looked hesitant for a moment, but he stepped back from the bed. Unlike Shiro, he didn’t care for the state of his uniform. He pulled his clothes off haphazardly, tossing them onto the chair he had recently occupied. There was nothing neat about him it was just another thing that Shiro loved the most about him. They were different, but they somehow worked together.

Keith climbed back onto the bed and moved closer to Shiro. His cock was hard, bobbing as he approached them. Shiro licked his lips as he stared. Too many times had he imagined it, touched himself to the idea of sucking Keith’s cock, or being fucked by it. He’s always kept his thoughts to himself, uttering them only when Iverson willed them from his subconscious. To finally have it happening now, in front of his commander of all people?

It turned him on.

“Step closer, Keith,” Iverson ordered. “Go ahead and brush your cock against Shiro’s.” He reached down and gripped Shiro’s cock, stroking it until a bead of precum oozed out of the tip. “Look at how ready and wet he is for it.”

“C-Commander Iverson…!” Shiro whined, turning his face away from Keith. Even if it was true, it was still so _lewd_ to hear it said out loud.

A low moan escaped Shiro as he felt contact on his cock. He turned his head and looked at Keith, meeting his eyes. They didn’t look away from each other as Keith rolled his hips, rubbing their cocks together. Shiro moaned again and tried to roll his hips along with Keith’s, but Iverson kept him in place, gripping his hip firmly.

“Easy now, Shiro,” Iverson soothed. “This isn’t about you, remember? We’re here to use you like the cock slut you are. Remember?”

Shiro shuddered and nodded his head. “Y-yes… I remember…”

“Good boy,” Iverson commented. He rocked his hips, rubbing his cock along Shiro’s walls. “Be a good boy and _take_ it.”

His eyes rolled to the back of his head as he was assaulted from both ends. Iverson and Keith didn’t find a pattern to follow together. Keith rubbed their cocks together slowly, gently, while Iverson fucked into him like a wild animal, nails digging into his hip. It was too much and not enough. Shiro wanted more—so much more.

“Commander—”

Iverson pressed his face into the crook of Shiro’s neck. “What’s wrong, Shiro? Go ahead and use your words.”

Shiro licked his lips. “Please give me more…!”

A hum filled his ears and Shiro shuddered. “Not yet, Shiro,” Iverson said. “There’s still so much I want to do to you—that I want _Keith_ to do to you. You can be a good boy and hold out until I’m done, can’t you?”

What had he planned for him and Keith? Even Keith stopped moving, staring up at Iverson with half-lidded eyes. He was just as curious as Shiro was to learn what Iverson would have them do. Their eyes met once more, and Keith swallowed hard. Shiro licked his lips, wishing he could lunge forward and kiss him. But he would wait, knowing that it would be worth it when it finally happened.

“I can wait…” Shiro muttered. He wasn’t happy about it, but his subconscious trusted Iverson to give him pleasure.

“Good boy. Now, _don’t_ cum. If you cum, you won’t be able to fuck Keith. Do you understand?”

Shiro whined and lowered his head. Holding out wasn’t always easy, but knowing that Keith naked was in front of him? That was going to be difficult.

Slowly, he nodded his head. Iverson chuckled.

Once more, Shiro willed himself still through Iverson’s and Keith’s relentless assault. Every now and then, Iverson would order Keith to move away until only the tips of their cocks were kissing. Then he would fuck Shiro like an animal, the sound of their skin slapping together drowned out by the sound of Shiro moaning.

Shiro’s mind was reeling, the coil in stomach tightening and becoming red hot. It was hard to keep his orgasm as bay, but he reminded himself that it would be worth it in the end. If he held out, he and Keith could do something together and he could cum then. He could cum and they could share something together, even if was with Iverson watching over them.

Iverson practically _roared_ as he filled Shiro with cum. Shiro bit the palm of his hand and squeezed his eyes shut. His legs shook, and he pressed himself against Iverson to keep himself from collapsing. Shiro panted as Iverson pressed opened mouth kisses along his neck.

He opened his eyes, finding Keith staring at him with a look of amazement. His eyes wandered up and down Shiro’s body and he licked his lips.

Iverson chuckled, giving one last kiss to the crook of Shiro’s neck. “I suppose you deserve a treat after that.” He ran his hand up and down Shiro’s cock once more. “You’re so hard in my hand… You must be _dying_ to cum, hm?”

“Sir, please don’t tease me,” Shiro said around a whimper. “I can’t… I can’t take it…”

“I can tell.” Iverson ran the tip of his finger around the head of Shiro’s dick. He rubbed the precum on his fingers and brought them to Shiro’s face. “Look at how wet you are. You won’t take long to cum with Keith, will you?”

Shiro whimpered and dug his fingers into Iverson’s arm. _“Please…!”_

“Alright, alright. I’ll let you have your fun.”

Shiro hissed as his cock slipped out of him, a rush of cum following suit. There was a firm hand on his arms as he fell forward. The smell of cloves and fire filled his lungs. He inhaled the scent deeply, wrapping his arms around the smaller body before him. Shiro was lost in his own little world as he felt the bed shift beneath him.

Keith’s hands ran up and down his back and he whispered words that Shiro couldn’t hear. Just being here with Keith made him content. Shiro buried his face in Keith’s neck. If he could stay like this for the rest of the night, he would be happy.

“Boys, I’m sure you two don’t want to sit there and do nothing.” Shiro opened his eyes and stared at Iverson. He was sitting in Keith’s chair now, his glass full of whiskey once more. Iverson sloshed the liquid around before bringing it to his lips for a drink. “You two should get started before all that cum dries out.”

Iverson was right. Already the cum on the back of his thighs was drying out and started to itch. That wasn’t the feeling that Shiro wanted. He wanted something _more_ and only Keith could give it to him.

Shiro pulled away, their sweaty skin sticking together. He cupped Keith’s face and stroked his cheekbone with his thumb. There was something he wished he could convey more articulacy, but he couldn’t. As much as he felt he needed to express _this;_ whatever it was, the words wouldn’t come out.

Keith didn’t seem to need them, though. He reached up and cupped Shiro’s face with both his hands. The smile he gave Shiro warmed him up more than any of Iverson’s commands.

A shudder wracked Shiro’s body as Keith surged forward and brought their lips together. His body was lax when Keith laid him back down on the bed. Shiro spread his legs wider, allowing him to slot against him. Their cocks brushed and moans spilled from both of them. Keith rolled their hips together, rubbing their cocks together until there was a sticky mess between them.

 _“Keith…”_ Shiro muttered as their kiss broke apart. A thin trail of saliva connected them, breaking in seconds. He whimpered and rolled his hips harder against Keith’s. “Please, just… _please…”_

“I hear you, Shiro,” Keith whispered. “I hear you…”

He reared back and shifted closer to Shiro, draping thick thighs over his legs. Keith ran his hands up and down, marveling at the strong muscles beneath his fingertips. He worshipped every part of Shiro’s body, his eyes roaming up and down his chiseled chest. The attention was so much that Shiro began to hide behind his arms.

“Don’t,” Keith urged. He grabbed Shiro’s wrists and pinned them down beside his head.

If Shiro wanted to, he could have broken free from Keith’s grip. He didn’t, though, because it was thrilling to have Keith pinning him down. Shiro was completely at his mercy and he _loved_ it.

“Don’t hide…” Keith said. “I want… I want to see your face.”

With a whimper, Shiro tossed his head back against the bed. He wiggled his hips before Keith moved him more into his lap. The tip of his cock pressed against Shiro’s leaking hole and there was a moment of hesitation. Keith’s grip tightened on Shiro’s wrists, releasing after only a moment.

Shiro appreciated that Keith was searching for affirmation that all this was okay. Without Iverson’s encouragement (and the alcohol heavy in his stomach), he might have tried to get away, to ensure things never changed between them. But Shiro _wanted_ this and it was clear that Keith did, too. If this was the only way that they could get their feelings across, then fine.

He was okay with that.

Wrapping his legs around Keith’s hips, he pulled him closer, bringing his cock into his body. It was everything he had imagined it to be. Shiro clenched around Keith, sighing as he sunk every inch into him in one slow thrust. When they were flushed together, Keith let out a shuddering breath. His head was lowered, and dark locks tickled Shiro’s chest. If he could, he would run his fingers through his hair.

“Are you okay, Keith?” Shiro asked.

Keith nodded his head, his hair tickling Shiro’s chest even more. “Yeah, you’re just… you’re just so tight and _wet_ …”

Shiro knew it was because of Iverson’s cum inside him. He shifted his hips, trying to will Keith to start moving. “Keith, come on… I’ve waited too long for this…”

It took a second, maybe two, before Keith finally moved. The first thrust he pushed into Shiro was slow and soft, a test of what he was allowed to do. All it took was a whine from Shiro to get Keith to finally push into him harder.

Shiro squeezed Keith’s waist as he was pounded into. The squelch of Iverson’s cum leaving him and the wet slap of their skin was like a symphony. Keith’s breath was in his ear, causing goosebumps to break out across his flesh as he was ravished more and more. It all felt so _good._ Nothing in his imagination could have prepared him for this. All the wet dreams that he’s had of this moment did _nothing_ to give him an idea of what fucking Keith would be like.

He tugged at Keith’s hold on his wrist, silently begging to be released. When he was finally free, Shiro reached up for Keith and pulled him down for a kiss. Kissing Keith was refreshing, sweet and simple.

Keith reared back, stilling his hips. Before Shiro could protest, Keith was changing their positions. He moved Shiro onto his side and draped one of his legs over his shoulder, straddling his other leg. Keith fucked into him harder. He dug his fingers into muscled thighs as he plowed through the wetness of Shiro’s hole.

 _“Oh…_ Oh, _fuck…!_ Keith…” Shiro moaned. He had been holding back for so long. While he may have been ready to cum since Iverson was halfway through fucking him, Keith wasn’t close and Shiro wanted to cum with Keith.

“Shiro… _Shiro…”_ Keith bit down on the inside of Shiro’s knee to keep himself from moaning any louder.

Iverson chuckled, and the sound broke through their little bubble. Shiro peeled his eyes open to stare at him. He was still sitting in Keith’s seat, fisting himself to the scene that lay before him.

Shiro had forgotten that he was even there. He had truly believed that he was alone in a room with Keith.

“How long do you think you can hold out, Shiro?” Iverson asked. “You must be closer than ever before now.” At Shiro’s pitiful whine, Iverson laughed. “I’m sure Keith would like it if he felt you tighten up around his cock. Go ahead, Shiro, touch yourself—touch yourself and cum.”

He was right; there was no denying it. Shiro couldn’t stave off his orgasm from much longer. He would either cum now or seconds before Keith did.

Shiro licked his fingers and ran them down his stomach. He gripped his cock, hissing at how hot it felt in his hand. “Keith… Keith, please tell me you’re close…”

Keith had been watching him the entire time, enraptured by how Shiro touched himself. “Y-yeah…” He pushed deep into Shiro and ground their hips together before pulling out and starting the rhythm again. “I’m almost there, Shiro…”

Good. Shiro really wanted them to finish off together.

They continued to push back against each other—Keith thrusting into him hard Shiro fucked into his hand. Whatever moans and sounds Iverson made from his chair was lost to them. All that mattered to them at that moment was each other and what they were feeling together.

Keith’s hips stuttered as he finally cummed, filling Shiro even more than he could possibly hold. Shiro wasn’t far from the edge, crying into the soft sheets as he cummed over his hand and stomach. Their chests heaved as they struggled to regain their breath. Keith was the first one to move, lowering Shiro’s leg so that he could lay on his chest. Soft kisses peppered the sweaty flesh, both of them ignoring how sticky either of them would become in a matter of moments.

Shiro opened his eyes as Iverson came closer, still fucking into his own hand. Cum rained down on them both when he finally finished himself off. It felt like a natural instinct to protect Keith from the most of it while Shiro opened his mouth to collect what he could. They were filthy, a collective mass of limbs, sweat, and cum.

He didn’t care, though. Behind the Garrison walls, separated by the power imbalance, their relationship could never thrive. If this was the only way Keith and himself could manage a relationship while they were part of the military base, then they’d make do.

Iverson stared down at them and Shiro knew he was thinking something over. A grin split his face. He reached down and patted both of their heads like they were precious pets. “I think we can make this work out for us, boys.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and there you have it: the end to a long and beautiful story. thank you so much to my commissioner for trusting me with this project. it was meant to only be short, but we completely blew past our intended amount. i'm happy that you're happy with the result. ♥
> 
> thank you to [anonusr](http://anonusr.tumblr.com/) for helping me edit this monster! he's helped me push on so much during the moments when i didn't think that i could continue. i did it, though, thanks to his help and his guidance. ♥
> 
> as per the norm, you can find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/perversionsao3/) or [tumblr](https://perversionsao3.tumblr.com/), but you can talk dirty to me on [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/perversions).

**Author's Note:**

> i've gotten curiouccat questions about when this would come out and it's finally here! it's a big piece, though. my editor and i decided to split it up into three chapters because this is a massive piece. we are around 30k words with it and neither of us (me, requester, and editor) ever expected it to get as far as it did. however, this is a piece i'm really proud of and i hope you all like it. see you on wednesday with the next update!
> 
> you can find dirty things on my [twitter](https://twitter.com/perversionsao3/) or [tumblr](https://perversionsao3.tumblr.com/), and you can talk dirty to me on [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/perversions). ♥


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